Artwork copyright Crista Ames. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, 2023.

Artwork copyright Crista Ames. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, 2023.

Artwork copyright Crista Ames. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, 2023.

Artwork copyright Crista Ames. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, 2023.

Artwork copyright Crista Ames. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, 2023.

Artwork copyright Crista Ames. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, 2023.

Good Girl HasBeen, 2021

Crista Ames
(American, born 1986)

Location: Washington State School for the Blind, Vancouver

ABOUT THE ARTWORK

Good Girl HasBeen by Crista Ames explores the saying "you can't teach an old dog new tricks." Has HasBeen learned to fetch her owners shoe or is she fighting the urge to chew the leather of the clog she is named after? You might find more clues in the dog's head shape and ears, or in which foot the shoe is made for.

This artwork is part of a curated collection by Gregg Schlanger in October 2023 for the Washington State School for the Blind in Vancouver. The local Art Selection Committee wanted artworks that anyone can approach and fully experience and understand via more than just sight. Gregg Schlanger selected artworks that are comfortable in the hand and have a tactile experience. This artwork is meant to be touched. It is installed in a large shadow box wall with ten spaces for ten accessible artworks.

This artwork was acquired for the State Art Collection in partnership with Washington State School for the Blind.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Crista Ames is a sculptor who works mainly in ceramics and textiles. The combining of permanent and impermanent materials is related to her interest in memory, loss, and transformation. She notes, “Just as the act of remembering transforms an experience into something different, time degrades some elements and leaves others to endure.” Ames layers mythology, iconography and personal narrative, to explore how we establish and sustain relationships. She also explores pastoral life, animal husbandry, women’s craft and fertility.