LUCKY PATCH

 

Lucky Patch, acrylic on canvas, 2023. 30" X 20"

This artwork which combines several lucky symbols is made to celebrate the Year of the Rabbit in 2023. 

Rabbits have been considered a symbol of fortune for over 2,000 years. In both Eastern and European cultures, rabbits have been associated with the spring season and fertility. Nine rabbits and hares are present in the painting, and nine is a lucky number which is symbolic of higher attainment, accomplishment, and success. 

The Flemish Giant (background) is the largest breed of domestic rabbit in the world, weighing around 7-8 kilograms (15-18 lbs) and measuring around 80 centimeters long, while the Netherland Dwarf is one of the smallest rabbit breeds, with two in the painting being colored brown and grey. 

Jackrabbits like the black-tailed jackrabbit (left) are hares because they have large, long ears, long legs, and a larger body than rabbits. The Arctic (middle right) and snowshoe hares (bottom left) live in cold climates, where they change from a white fur coat in winter to a brown summer coat. The eastern cottontail rabbit (bottom right) is the most common rabbit species in North America. European rabbits (center) come in various colors, from sandy light brown to ginger, black, and occasionally, white. In the painting, it is black with a white belly; the color symbolizing the passive yin nature of the rabbit zodiac sign.

The carrot patch itself contains three varieties of carrots: regular orange carrots, white radishes and purple carrots. The modern day orange carrot is a descendant of the purple carrot and were first grown by Dutch growers in the late 16th century who took strains of the original purple carrot, which has just as many nutrients as orange carrots. Orange and purple colors are symbols of wealth, prosperity and good luck. The white radishes are of the daikon variety which is mainly grown in East Asia. The radish is considered a lucky vegetable because in the Taiwanese Mandarin dialect it’s called “菜頭(cai tou)” which sounds the same as “彩頭(cǎi tóu),” which means good fortune. There are a total of 23 carrots and radishes in the painting, representing the year 2023. As three carrots were pulled out, 20 carrots remain on the ground (although one is in the process of being pulled out by the jackrabbit) to symbolize the first two digits (20).

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