A Modern Family Coat of Arms

While portraits seem to be just as popular today as they were 500 years ago, coats of arms seem to have gone out of fashion, which we find to be a dreadful shame. We were obviously thrilled when Alex approached us with the concept of a modern coat of arms, which he commissioned from Blacksmiley in her simple stylized illustration style. The piece offers a splendid presentation of the unique lives and personalities of Alex, his husband, and their adorable pet dogs.

Backstory Behind the Piece: Q&A with Alex

ArtCorgi (AC): What inspired you to commission this art?

Alex (A): I’ve always loved the idea of family coat of arms and thought it would be nice to have one for our house. :) Now that we’re married and we’re truly a “household” now, it seemed even more appropriate as a coat of arms can be a representation of the merging of two families. With our 5th wedding anniversary swiftly approaching, it seemed like it would make an excellent present for the both of us to mark the occasion.

AC: How did you choose the different elements that make up the piece?

2) The elements and how they were chosen:

A: The dogs are our pets, obviously. My scottie and his westie. We each have two elements in the shield.

For him, it is the star to mark his unending fascination with the cosmos and the dragon symbolizes his love of fantasy (He’s watched Lord of the Rings like 50 times. I wish I were kidding). The dragon is also his Chinese zodiac symbol, a fact he likes to remind people of regularly. ;)

For me, the quill and the parchment is a nod to my first true love: writing. The key? When I was 19, I was walking down the street and a homeless man called out to me. When I stopped, he handed me an old iron key on a bit of leather string. “What’s this for?” I asked. “You’ll know when it’s time,” He replied and then walked away. I’ve still got that key to this day. A reminder that a even the tiniest bit of mystery can completely transform even the most mundane of items.

The ring and the latin phrase is quite literally our wedding bands. For those curious, it means: “What God has put together, let no man part”. That phrase has a lot of meaning for us, particularly given the fights to get to where we are today: legally married.

AC: What advice would you give to someone who would like to commission a shield of his/her own?

A: That’s actually a fairly interesting question. I guess I would say: A coat of arms is all about you and your family. Have fun. Be serious. But be YOU. Life’s way too short to be anything else. :)