Debra Gould Art with a mission

Beauty and functionality rode tandem 32,000 years ago when prehistoric hunters scrawled woolly rhinoceroses and bison on the lumpy walls of France's Chauvet Cave . . . Although scholars debate the rationale, it was undoubtedly one of humanity's first cracks at art with a mission.

And the venerable concept, though now rejigged and revamped to suit 21st century sensibilities, is intact and thriving in Victoria. Opting for the unique and shunning "off the rack" sameness, locals are assigning handmade items to mundane tasks. And artists are adding a dollop of flair to the functionality. The result is art that performs to raves in either realm.

"We’re surrounded by functional objects, usually mass produced and not necessarily fun or interesting to look at," says decorative artist Debra Gould. "By introducing a few handcrafted items into our homes, we create a unique environment and bring our rooms to life. An environment should have elements that hit a person on an emotional level."

Her floorcloths, wall hangings and place mats have jazzed up a slew of homes in the area and far afield. Prior to opening her Oak Bay studio, the former Toronto-based marketing consultant and MBA recipient averted crises for her Fortune 500 clients. Since abandoning the pressure and the "buzz", she directs her energy to transforming heavy artist canvas into handpainted, dirt and water resistant room accents.

Although low maintenance when finished, floorcloths are labour-intensive while in progress. Stretched and primed on both sides before a base coast is applied, the canvas then receives multiple layers of paint tinged with glaze. "This creates a more three-dimensional background for the design," Gould says.

She enlivens the cloths with handmade stamps and stencils. Sometimes lines from the Talmud, Rumi or other memorable sources meander around the perimeter of the cloth. A mitered hem, varnish and a week of curing precede the presentation.

As colour conscious as Matisse, Gould "coordinates but doesn't match" her clients' interior tones. "I'm passionate about colour and it’s the starting point for all my work," she says. "The clients and I develop a palette and the design flows from there."

On one floorcloth, it looks as if stars had tumbled out of a clear, balmy night and settled, red hot, on a magic carpet. It echoes a nearby bedspread’s nocturnal scene. A golden background seems to promise the sun’s return. Gould's own foyer hosts an indoor welcome mat. In the company of a searing magenta wall moderated by a sizzling yellow baseboard, Gould’s floor décor cools the fire with a primitive pattern of red circles and black u-shaped forms. Designed to be troopers, these creations don’t fear mud-clogged boots or Chianti spills.

And the cloths can be recruited for KP duty as well. Gould gives place mats the spinning treatment as blue helicopter wings twirl in a sky flecked with airborne dots. For another client, pears and leaves float in a verdant background on twin table runners. A lone pear hovers in the corner of complimentary yellow place mats. After metal artist Michael Mintern modeled a 10-seat dining set, Gould crafted a round center cloth and matching place mats that symbolically suggest Mintern’s marine themes. . .

	March 2004, Woman's Day Magazine's Walls, Windows and Floors in the US features Wild Things Accent Mirrors from the Debra Gould Home Collection.
Later in 2004, the same magazine will feature a child's room Debra decorated including many of her whimsical custom painted home accessories.

Debra was featured twice on HGTV and still appears in rebroadcasts. Her first appearance was an 8 minute segment demonstrating how she makes her hand painted boxes.

Her second appearance was in a segment called "The Creative Spirit." It included an in studio interview on why Debra chose to give up her lucrative consulting business working with large corporations to pursue a new life as an artist and designer. The segment also included a tour of her home and her art. At right is a photo of her entrance hall.

The November 2003 issue of Money Sense Magazine has an excellent article on Home Staging, featuring Debra Gould, Toronto's leading Professional Home Stager.

Written by: Gabrielle Bauer
Photos by: Virginia MacDonald

"If you're looking to score on the real estate market, your best investment may not be a house or condo, but an hour with Debra Gould. Through her company, Six Elements Inc., she dispenses design advice to people who want their property to sell faster and for more money. The results can be stunning..."

For more information about Home Staging, or House Fluffing as it is also called, visit: www.sixelements.com. Read the full story.

For additional information, e-mail debra@debragould.com or call the studio at 416-691-6615.

Six Elements make your house a home— energy, form, style, design, color and passion.