Just ran across this, the arms of St. Mary’s Basilica in Wilmington, North Carolina. Not the best artwork, by any means, but a decent design that a good artist could do nice things with.
http://wilmingtonfavs.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/21/files/2014/01/St-Mary-Basilicafullcoat-279x359.jpg
Star for the patron of the basilica, Jesuit badge for Pope Francis, the ship as a symbol of the church and to represent the immigrants who founded the parish, and the sail of the arms of the diocese of Raleigh (in turn based on the arms of Sir Walter).
The website unfortunately perpetuates the half-truth that being named a basilica means the church is entitled to a coat of arms. Of course, basilicas are entitled to coats of arms but a church doesn’t have to be a basilica to have arms, it just can’t display the basilical [?] additaments with them.
Ditto all above.
The shield would IMO look much better if the partition between the sky and water were wavy to match the barry wavy of the base, and maybe fewer barry wavy divisions. As is it’s a little busy and likely to visually "fuzz" in small scale or at a distance.
The flat sail suggests a boat caught in the doldrums - likely not the intended image! A gust of wind (ruach) in the artist’s mind’s eye would fill the sail and add a sense of movement.
The ombrellino and the upper ends (wards) of the keys are nice and clean, but the fancy loops at the lower ends of the keys are too fuss-budgety and visually inconsistent.
All of this, except maybe the partition line, are merely exercise of artistic license to better present a basically quite nice design concept.
My views of course, others may see it all differently!
Michael F. McCartney;103471 wrote:
The flat sail suggests a boat caught in the doldrums - likely not the intended image! A gust of wind (ruach) in the artist’s mind’s eye would fill the sail and add a sense of movement.
At the angle that the sail is set, a gust of wind from the wrong direction would lay the boat right over on its side.
And I agree that the partition line of the base should be wavy and with fewer bars. Probably just ignorance. The charges in chief could also be a bit bigger and the boat reoriented to be sailing to dexter.
Good catch (ketch?) re: the angle of the sail vs the boat - apparently the universe was wise in having me in the Army rather than the Navy!
