About Us

At Lee Bots, we see potential in the overlooked and find inspiration in the forgotten. From basement corners, shadowy closets, and cluttered garages, we gather the odds and ends that find new life in our robot sculptures. 

Assembled from old electrical components, lost Legos, and a multitude of other materials, our one-of-a-kind sculptures bring a spark of creativity wherever they go. Through their carefully selected and repurposed parts – once destined for the landfill – the bots evoke both vintage charm and vibrant transformation.

Bot Beginnings

The creation of artist Nancy Solbrig, Lee Bots began with a “found object” assignment for a college art class. As she explored unconventional materials for the project, Nancy discovered a passion for upcycling lost and unwanted objects.

From her grandma Leona’s old mailbox and an abandoned lamp, Nancy created Rupert #2009001, the very first bot – and the series was born.

Bot Evolution

The bots went through a few styles at first. By the time Nancy had sculpted the 20th bot, their distinctive wire-wrapped style had begun to emerge. And by 2015, the playful bots had evolved into her full-time job. 

Nancy chose the name Lee Bots for the venture – a tribute to her grandma Leona, whose nickname was Lee – and designed a logo inspired by the electrical components used in many of the sculptures. 

Today, more than 1,500 bots – each with their own name and number –  have found new homes around the world.

The Artist

Nancy Lee Solbrig was the kid who got in trouble for wrecking her toys. Curious about how they worked, she would take them apart to figure it out. This impulse, along with an interest in sustainability, continues to drive her work with Lee Bots.

Nancy has studied design and painting at multiple institutions, including Black Hawk College (Moline, Illinois), Canterbury Christ Church University (England), the Academy of Fine Arts Katowice (Poland) and the University of Arts Poznan (Poland). She has a degree in visual communications from Northern Illinois University (DeKalb, Illinois).