Ann Jenkins found the plant stem featured in Sea Bleached Stem Brooch on a beach in North Carolina. “I wanted to highlight it with rays — almost in an iconic way — to bring attention to this extraordinary object that could have just disintegrated on the ocean floor,” she says. The brooch is made of sterling silver, dyed silver leaf, bronze, glass, acrylic, and a plant stem. 4 x 1 3⁄4 x 1⁄2 in. (10.2 x 4.4 x 1.3 cm). Photo by Robert Diamante. This piece appeared in the January 2009 issue of Art Jewelry.