This collection serves as a response to Bound by Plastic, my prior collection focused on humanity’s over-reliance on and over consumption of plastic. It served to both elucidate the plastic pollution crisis and its negative health implications. What this collection was missing, however, was a call to action. Not for lack of intention, but due to lack of any viable solutions. With recent discoveries comes new hope, and the inspiration for my newest collection, Hope Beneath the Surface. And quite ironically, this newfound light comes from just below the surface of the Earth, shrouded in darkness… Fungal networks, otherwise known as mycelium, form essential connections that provide nourishment and communication among trees and serve countless roles in the sustainability of Earth’s ecosystem. In a time where humanity is fraught with division, this concept of connection plays heavily into my work. As hope seems to vanish by the day, these fungal networks offer new solutions for plastic pollution, a problem that has become so widespread it literally courses through our veins. Specific strains of fungi possess mycelial networks capable of breaking down various plastics, both chemically and mechanically. For the purposes of this collection, I have conferred with leading researchers from the United States to China, who endeavor to scale this new discovery. We’re not there yet, but this vital research paves the way to converting plastics from landfills and oceans into organic matter.