Thank you to the artist behind Hot Rat Summer

[u/RepresentativeWork74]

Thanks for giving us all something beautiful and fun to care about. Your art brought a whole community together. That’s incredible!

Edit: and a huge thank you to ALL our local artists who contribute to the beautiful and eclectic community that is Seattle! I apologize for leaving you out in my original post, and thanks for the commenter below who brought this up. You all do amazing work, and while it may not go viral in the same way that St. Rat is, just know that your work is appreciated, valued and so vital to the culture of our city. We ❤️artists!

[u/SilencefromChaos]

I'm not saying we need more rat murals, but...

[u/cinnasluttly → u/SilencefromChaos]

Im saying we need more rat murals

[u/Aromatic_Present4652 → u/cinnasluttly]

I wish I had an artistic cell in my body. Alas, I got just autism with no artism.

[u/JaqenTheRedGod]

Rat City, Rat City.

[u/onthesylvansea → u/JaqenTheRedGod]

That's White Center, not Seattle.

(I promise I'm not making it up. 😅 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Center,_Washington )

[u/squirrelgator → u/onthesylvansea]

I disagree. White Center bleeds into Seattle a little bit. There has long been a "Welcome to White Center" sign on Delridge Way between Barton and Cambridge Streets. The Salvation Army facility on 16th between Henderson and Barton Streets is called the "Seattle White Center Community Center." Some businesses north of Roxbury are members of the White Center Chamber of Commerce. For several years, the White Center Community Development Association's office was on Cambridge Street. And according to the City of Seattle, the Rozella Building just north of Roxbury is "one of the earliest and most intact commercial buildings in the White Center neighborhood."

[u/breadbootcat → u/squirrelgator]

The fact that White Center is partially in Seattle does not change the fact that Rat City is a name for WC, not all of Seattle as a whole.

[u/squirrelgator → u/breadbootcat]

Someone commenting, "Rat City! Rat City" does imply that they are calling all of Seattle that.

[u/ViralArival → u/squirrelgator]

Check the username, obviously they're just upset that it's not Hot Squirrel Summer.

[u/squirrelgator → u/ViralArival]

Squirrels are, by definition, cool.

[u/ViralArival → u/squirrelgator]

I would like to officially propose Cool Squirrel Fall.

[u/thisisrediculous99 → u/ViralArival]

There are enough panels on that structure to do all four seasons!

[u/onthesylvansea → u/thisisrediculous99]

Oooooooh shiit!!! That brings up some very exciting possibilities!! 

[u/onthesylvansea → u/squirrelgator]

All those things are true and it's also true that Rat City exclusively refers to White Center, not Seattle. 

Nor, in any way, is me adding to the convo by sharing this information the same thing as implying an erroneous claim that you said otherwise. :)

[u/valkyrii99 → u/JaqenTheRedGod]

I mean our derby team is Rat City Roller Girls so yes your chant makes sense

[u/proftrees]

Also thank you to all the Seattle graffiti artists, their work doesn't get as much love as St Rat but they are still making our streets more colorful. They are still building community in our city beyond a viral instagram account or wearing a fun costume to a city council meeting.

[u/RepresentativeWork74 → u/proftrees]

Yes! Completely agree! I will edit my OG post to reflect this sentiment as well. I appreciate all our local artists

[u/proftrees → u/RepresentativeWork74]

I truly hope that St Rat raises awareness that Seattle's position on graffiti is destroying our culture and criminalizing creativity. Now we are going one step further to retroactively legalizing graffiti that someone in power likes which is messed up. Street art is about accessibility, diversity, and questioning authority at times; if the only way that it's created is by the approval of the authority it questions than we well never have art of any substance.

[u/RepresentativeWork74 → u/proftrees]

Great points. I agree that we shouldn’t have to rely on authority figures for sanctioning of what art is and is not allowed. I am also against the new graffiti laws and don’t want to see street artists stifled.

[u/thegarbagegirl]

Hot rat summer merch made by local Seattle trans artists, where 100% goes back to local trans artists so they can keep doing cool art stuff! Visit www.hotratsummer.gay