Patina

by Lizzy Pantoga-Montoto

Bebs is a jewelry maker and an indie flower
with a stem intentionally wrapped
around culture and steep history
that isn’t hers. She likes beads and
goes to auctions to find ones from
the Dead Sea and unfortunately,
slave trade. She makes them into necklaces
gaudy enough to wrap around your neck
to feel ridiculous and rich.
The impact of hearing an artist speak
about their work is if you are empathetic, you care
and caring is a bridge from seeing art to buying it.
In more ways than one you can be bought:
You can spend $450 on jewelry that is
unwearable. You can also nod
when she says unfortunately, slave trade
and hands you a necklace that
you hold, delicately, as it is made out
of old beads and thinning string and
the structural integrity is not
something to put your faith in.
Patina is another thing that
Bebs babbles about, she likes
rusty green coins—African
coins—and when she hands you them
the grit of thousands of fingers
oiling up the surface squeals underneath
your touch—but in the face
of the artist—you smile.