A Study on Banners

Heraldic processional banners
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025
Click image to enlarge

Having seen several examples of how Pierre de Chaignon la Rose (1872-1941) designed banners for his clients, I figured it was time to try to see how I could do the same.  Some of these designs are merely doodles of mine while a few are legitimate arms. 

Heraldic processional banners
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025
Click image to enlarge

This little study of la Rose's banner design continues to intrigue me, as he treated the entire fabric of the banner as though it was the field of a shield.  Depending on the ordinary and/or field division this framework gets rather tricky for me.

So, I suppose that's why we practice.

More Bars 'n Stars in Virginia

More stars 'n bars from the Washington arms in Virginia
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

George Washington:  first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countymen.  Also, first to have his coat of arms changed up in virtually every way possible.  However, the two coats of arms that I found online today are truly quite tasteful and fitting.

The coat of arms of Washington County in Virginia
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

The County of Washington is located in the southwest area of Virginia with its seat being the City of Abingdon.  According to the Washington County Historical Society, the county's board of supervisors officially adopted these arms--within a seal--on January 4, 1978. 

The coat of arms of Washington County Virginia Chamber of Commerce
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

The Washington County Virginia Chamber of Commerce clearly followed in the Board of Supervisors' footsteps by adopting its differenced coat of arms and replacing red with blue.  Simple.  Is the color change sufficient enough to avoid infringing on the established Washington arms?  I'll leave that answer to the reader.

I do appreciate, however, the intention to show unification of the county's chamber with the county itself.  After all, it's good for business!

Recent Finds VIII

Recent finds of arms for parishes in the Episcopal Church
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

More finds from the internet of coats of arms for parishes in the Episcopal Church that I recently emblazoned.  I found these arms to be well designed and meaningful symbols of identification for these faith communities.

The coat of arms of St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Henderson, KY
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Henderson, KY managed to successfully difference the attributed arms of St. Paul with the addition of waves in chief.  The Ohio River runs next to Henderson and the waves in chief become a fitting symbol for geographical identification.

The coat of arms of St. Christopher's Episcopal Church, League City, TX
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

The lighthouse is another Christian symbol for St. Christopher, and when placed on the blue canton of the base arms of the Episcopal Church, these arms make for a perspicuous design.  Well done.

The coat of arms of St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church, Cambridge, MA
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

The arms of St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church in Cambridge, MA incorporated the knifes from the saint's attributed arms in a clever way making a unique coat for the parish. 

The coat of arms of St. John's Episcopal Church, Youngstown, OH
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

St. John's Episcopal Church in Youngstown, OH, while using the attributed symbol for St. John, managed to difference their arms by placing St. John's symbol on an inescutcheon on top of a cross formy with the addition of a compony bordure.  Quite unique parish identification.

The coat of arms of St. James Episcopal Church Eufala, AL
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

St. James Episcopal Church in Eufala, Alabama took the attributed coat of arms for St. James and added a sword in pale to difference the arms.  Clever!

The coat of arms of St. Martin's Episcopal Church, Providence, RI
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

The coat of arms of St. Martin's Episcopal Church in Providence, RI incorporate several elements--anchor for the state and the crozier and tower for St. Martin of Tours--in a beautiful and harmonious design.

The coat of arms of St. Mark's (Episcopal) in Philadelphia, PA
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

St. Mark's parish on Locust Street in Philadelphia bear arms following a popular design with the red cross of St. George in base and using the chief for differencing.  Dialing in the winged lion was a fun challenge.

The coat of arms of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Houston, TX
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

Placing stones between the fretty design in the coat of arms of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Houston, TX was pure genius.  I believe the open books on the bend must represent the Bible, and in triplicate, the Holy Trinity.  This design was clearly created by someone who knew what they were doing.  A beautiful and meaningful design.

Recent Finds VII

I had this vision in my head for a lion bishop
Created and rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

A lion bishop?  Well, of course!  Anything is possible in the world of heraldry!  I had this vision in my head with the lion wearing a mitre and cope and bedazzled in all the episcopal finery possible.  Voila!

...and the finds keep coming!  Here's a quick post with some interesting US corporate heraldry found online recently and then rendered by me.  

The coat of arms of St. James Episcopal Church Prouts Neck, ME
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

The coat of arms of St. James Episcopal Church Prouts Neck in Maine successfully avoided the old "2 and 1" with escallops.  In the absence of any known blazon, I'm guessing the escallop here would be proper.  Green is an entirely appropriate tincture for the State of Maine. 

The coat of arms of St. Gabriel's Episcopal Church Hollis, NY
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

"Hail Mary, full of grace the LORD is with you," proclaimed the angel Gabriel.  The coat of arms of St. Gabriel's Episcopal Church in Hollis, New York successfully ties together the herald's trumpet with the angel's wings.  I'm still trying to track down, however, if this coat is the attributed and undifferenced version for St. Gabriel.  Regardless, the design works.  My only question is why is there no geographic reference--which leads me to believe these are the attributed arms.  

The coat of arms of the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd in Barre, Vermont
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025 

Vermont continues to keep things interesting and the coat of arms of the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd in Barre, VT are quite lovely if not unique to say the least.  These arms were a fun puzzle to solve.

The coat of arms of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (left) and Anderson University (right)
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

In 2021, Anderson University in South Carolina officially adopted a coat of arms as seen above.  The university is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention and I wonder if the bordure was intentional--matching Southern Baptist Theological Seminary's arms.  Either way, I appreciate this thematic approach by our Protestant sisters and brothers.

The coat of arms of St. Paul Seminary (Roman Catholic) in St. Paul, MN
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

The coat of arms of St. Paul Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota carries forward the barry wavy in base which is featured in the arms of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis along with its cathedral, the Basilica of the St. Mary.  Additionally, the seminary's arms avoid the undifferenced and attributed version of arms while providing unique geographic identification as well as unification.  Score!