It’s often said if a person finds a job they love, then it becomes much less like work. Frances Gould, professor and director of agricultural communications and public relations for the LSU AgCenter, has found her passion in two professions: agriculture and art.
Gould grew up in Kansas where her father was an extension wheat specialist. She found herself surrounded by wheat, one of Kansas’ most lucrative crops, and other forms of agriculture and livestock. Gould earned her degree in fine arts from Kansas State University and an MFA from the University of Nebraska. While she has never taught at the University, Gould has taught fine arts classes during her time in Nebraska.
She moved to Louisiana after a position in visual communication opened at the AgCenter and has been there for 29 years. Gould has stayed with the AgCenter for so long because of the opportunities she has to deal with southern agriculture and the people with whom she works.
“I love what I do at the AgCenter,” Gould said. “People assume agriculture is so dull, but the people I work with would say otherwise.”
Gould said her art is not a hobby but another extension of herself. She has been a member of the Baton Rouge Gallery since 1985 and worked in multiple shows through her tenure.
“I need to create art,” Gould said. “I try to schedule a show at the Baton Rouge Gallery at least once a year, because I’d go insane if I didn’t show my work.”
Gould’s work in the art world gives her a fresh perspective on her responsibilities at the AgCenter. Instead of simple PowerPoint presentations or press releases, she takes the extra step to create a product that can captivate readers as if it were her art.
“Part of agricultural communication is being creative,” Gould said. “My art background helps me present materials in ways it normally wouldn’t be thought about.”
Gould manages a staff of 20 that creates press releases and stories about developments in the College of Agriculture and the AgCenter, like nutrition and 4-H youth programs. While juggling that responsibility, she continues to make art pieces to fuel both passions.
Finding a balance between her two loves is easy for Gould. Deadlines are vital to Gould’s artwork, and she uses dates as motivators to continue creating pieces for galleries and those around her. When creating artwork or getting closer to a gallery reveal, Gould will forgo a few household chores to make sure her pieces are done on time.
“My husband can vouch that the house gets progressively dirtier as I get closer to an exhibition date,” Gould said. “It’s a small sacrifice for the sake of art.”
Much of her art focuses on certain themes, like “Bovine Series,” a collection of works about cows, and “Avian Flew,” which was a gallery of poultry motifs. Recently, Gould’s fish-themed exhibit, “Fish Tales and Other Schools of Thought” opened at the Baton Rouge Gallery and can be seen until Dec. 23.
After a trip to the Aquarium of Americas, Gould found herself fascinated by fish and began creating works for the gallery. The exhibit features Gould’s signature bright colors and bold lines that make her pieces distinguishable as she depicts her experience with fish through her life.
“The smallest things can bring back good memories, and that’s what the aquarium did for me,” Gould said.
When viewing one of her works, Gould sees a certain energy that she believes is relatable to those who buy her pieces. She’s made many different types of pieces, but that energy remains constant.
Gould said she could never pick between her agriculture and art careers. She finds it important that people understand where the food they ingest comes from and how it’s made. Because she loves her professions so much, the thought of leaving one behind any time soon would leave her empty. She said there is a possibility she would fully pursue art once she retired from agricultural communication.
“I make sure that I’m marrying the two and not separating them,” Gould said. “If I ever tried to separate them, I’m only hurting myself.”
You can reach Joshua Jackson on Twitter @Joshua_Jackson_.

Gallery • 9 Photos

Emily Brauner

LSU professor and director of agriculture communications and public relations, Frankie Gould, presents her exhibit, "Fish Tales and Other Schools of Thought," at the Baton Rouge Gallery.