Chalk Robots

0 Flares Filament.io 0 Flares ×

There was a chalk drawing of a robot on the ground. No explanation. Just an arrow.

La Ru robot

So, of course, we followed it – and the next one and the next one – down the steps behind Pike Place Market in Seattle.

Pike Place Market

We tried to guess where they were leading. A street art project? A robot maker? Nowhere? The den of our new robot overlords?

One lead us to turn the corner, and then, “Is that it? Is it a baby store?!!”

Ugly Baby and La Ru, Seattle

Nope. A larger robot drawing pointed inside a store with a chalkboard sign that answered my question: “{Ugly Baby & La Ru} Handmade local art for grown-ups and practically nothing for actual babies.”

Ugly Baby and La Ru chalk art

It was a gift shop owned by two artists – Rosalie Gale (of Ugly baby) and Lauren Rudeck (a.k.a. “La Ru”), who was there in the store that day.

Artist La Ru

Ugly Baby and La Ru, Seattle

She creates illustrations of animals and robots, and seemed delighted to hear her chalk drawings had lead us in. The store was full of craft kits, cards, and mini works of art, and I wanted to buy everything.

Ugly Baby and La Ru, waterproof art

Ugly Baby and La Ru, Seattle

The entire store wouldn’t fit in my suitcase, but I did take home a really great sloth coffee mug.

Coffee sloth!


June 2022 UPDATE: In 2018, La Ru moved to her own space, now called Robot vs Sloth. It’s still in Pike Place Market but not so hidden away! You can see it right on the corner of Pine and 1st Ave.

robot vs sloth via google maps
Google maps view of Robot vs Sloth’s current spot (left side of the image) at Pike Place Market.

In fact, I must’ve been practically standing in front of the shop’s future home when I took the photo below.

Pike Place Market 2014
Pike Place Market 2014

And, yep, I still love my sloth mug. I’m drinking coffee from it now!




 

Microblog Mondays: Write in your own space

0 Flares Twitter 0 Facebook 0 Pin It Share 0 Google+ 0 Email -- Filament.io 0 Flares ×

11 Replies to “Chalk Robots”

  1. All the colours in that store make me happy. I feel like I’ve seen those drawings before. Do they have a site online? Have I see their drawings as a cartoon? Off to Google to figure this out.

    1. Yes! And because it was on the other side of the building from where we were, I don’t think we would have known about it otherwise.

  2. What a fun treasure hunt! ow cool that you followed it. I wonder how many times other people have showed up from the clues. I bet Lauren and Rosalie were delighted to see you!

    1. I didn’t get to meet Rosalie. However, Lauren seemed glad that her robot drawings lead us in. It would be interesting to know how many people find the shop because of the chalk drawings!

    1. I couldn’t remember the explanaion I got when I was there, but their about page says it’s because of Rosalie’s husband’s baby photo.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.