The Society of Heraldic Art
Patrick Damiaens SHA+ click image(s) to enlarge.
Heraldic family coats of arms carved in wood by ornamental and heraldic woodcarver Patrick Damiaens.
I started my professional career in 1989 following ten years of study (furniture-making 6 years and woodcarving 4 years). Carving heraldic family coats of arms and crests in wood is one of my specialties. It is always a personal challenge to be able to carve a family crest in wood. Heraldry is a very interesting topic and I always welcome a new heraldic assignment.
My clients include individuals, associations and companies: for example I can carve municipal or city arms in wood, a memorial panel for an association or a wooden logo of a company. In 2015 I was awarded rewarded 'The Golden Badge of Honour: Elites of Labour' by the Belgian federal government.
Patrick Damiaens SHA
Aan de Lievenheer 5 B-3680 Maaseik Belgium
Tel: +32 (0)89 35 39 37
Mail: info@patrickdamiaens.be
Website: http://www.Patrickdamiaens.be
Blog : http://ornamental-woodcarver-patrickdamiaens.blogspot.be
Yvonne Holton BA(Hons) FGA DGA FRSA SHA
Dingwall Pursuivant of Arms & Herald Painter - click image(s) to enlarge.
I trained at the Edinburgh College of Art from 1977 to 1882 and specialised in jewellery and silversmithing.
After leaving the College, I worked full time for 7 years at the Assay Office in Edinburgh and ended up being their Assayer. As well as doing this, I also was involved in book illustration in the evenings. Wanting another full time job, I noticed an advertisement in the ‘Scotsman’ newspaper published on a Friday night in 1990 for ‘an illustrator’ to be commissioned by the Court of the Lord Lyon to carry out Letters Patent. The Assay Office had recently received their Letters Patent and I can remember looking at the framed document and thinking ‘I could do that!’ I applied and was interviewed along with another 6. This was an important interview for me and thankfully it went the way that I wanted it to.
I began my career in heraldry on the 6th of March 1990. At that time, I can remember that my biggest challenge was to master calligraphy and so I attended evening classes at Edinburgh College of Art to try and achieve this. Regarding painting, the hardest part was to come to terms with vellum and the consistency of watercolour paints. I am learning more and more about Blazon with each commission and it is one of my favourite interests.
Having spent more than 25 years at the Lyon Office, I am very grateful, as a freelance artist, to have a ‘home’ as well as regular work. Apart from carrying out Letters Patent, my interests lie in designing bookplates and carrying out Library paintings.
Address: 11 Mayburn Terrace, Loanhead, Midlothian, Scotland EH20 9EH
Email: yholton@freeuk.com
Keith Raes SHA
Using the same traditional tools that have been around for centuries I now find that I am entering my fiftieth year as a hand engraver.
I consider myself very fortunate that I have been able to pursue a profession that I thoroughly enjoy as every day brings forth new challenges and surprises.
Although hand engraving family heraldry mostly on gold or silver gives me the greatest pleasure I have in the past undertaken many commissions ranging from miniature pictorial scenes on silver thimbles to the other extreme of engraving the Compass Rose in Canterbury Cathedral, a mammoth task!
Address:
The Old Bull's Head
Bowling Street,Sandwich,Kent,CT13 9HA
Tel: +44 7793 583434
email: keithraes@gmail.com
web: www.keithraesengraver.co.uk
Sian Vaughan Jones BA Hons, SHA
Sian Vaughan Jones graduated from the Central School of Art and Design, London, with a BA Hons in Jewellery Design.
She hand-crafts objects such as wall plaques, belt buckles, paper knives, house numbers, brooches and cap badges to name but a few. Inspired by her clients’ arms, crest or badge, she separates the various elements depicted and crafts them into a fittingly aesthetic design.
She works with many media: silver, brass, copper and aluminium, and also wood, welsh slate, leather and semi-precious stones. Sian is a very talented, highly skilled craftswoman with a flair for design who welcomes commissions.
Tel: +44 (0)1745 812778
email: sianvaughan5@yahoo.co.uk
web: http://vtaccessories.com