texas toothpick

john f. marok.  figure/landscape/still life.  72"x36", oil/canvas

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since forever, humans have ruminated on the concept of time, on sequences of events, on good or bad events, on making attempts to harvest and encourage the good events from occurring over and over. one of the most common things humans do to attract good luck is to wear or carry a good luck charm. the idea of attracting good fortune by wearing or carrying an object is something everyone does in some form,  it is a natural part of being human. the more i read about good luck charms the more i realize that we humans don't really care what the charm is per se, as long as it professes to work we will try it. a raccoon penis bone is regarded as a lucky charm, especially for fertility or gambling (huh?) they are carried alone or made into necklaces or earrings. these bones go by many names; one of the few that can be said in polite company is a “texas toothpick.”

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