Canty Coat of Arms

“Canty Coat of Arms”
Pen and Ink on Illustration Board
16″ x 20″

I completed this coat of arms drawing as a gift for my dear friend Dierdre Canty, who has relentlessly gone above and beyond to help me with all my fundraising efforts towards a world free from Multiple Sclerosis. Within this drawing, many of the elements we discussed can be found. The standard coat of arms for her surname is three yellow crescents and a yellow chevron on a blue shield background. For each of the crescents, I integrated a coat of arms form another part of her life. The left is the coat of arms of Co. Limerick, which is where her father is from. On the right, is the coat of arms from Co. Cork, the region that Deirdre grew up before moving to the United States. The bottom crescent bears the coat of arms of Galway City, which doubles as the logo of The Galway Arms Restaurant. She has managed this fine establishment for many years. For the yellow chevron in the center of the piece, I decided to turn this element into the American flag and the Irish flag conjoining to symbolize her two homes. In the top right of the composition, a group of cascading books can be found, illustrating her appetite for books and reading. Finally, in the upper left section of the piece, you will find a young man with his arm around a young woman looking out at a sunset from a coast. This scene is a representation of Dierdre and her brother, who passed away many years ago. The birds in grouped flight symbolize the rest of her siblings. It was a great honor creating this piece from such an amazing person.

• January 14, 2013

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