Busy August for Minneapolis Cartoonists

Prepare for two big cartooning events to drop in Minneapolis this August. First is the nearly-perennial Lutefisk Sushi mini comics show at Altered Esthetics (view last year's website). I'll have much more to say about this show at the end of the this month, but for now just know that it's happening, and it's time to start planning your mini comic.

The other big event is the first ever MIX: Minneapolis Indie Expo, organized by Sarah Morean and Andy Krueger. The show is a one-day celebration of indie comics and local talent, and there will be a bake sale! The show is free for visitors if you want to just wander around, but if you want to sell some stuff the table rates are cheap! Sign up here. The official bullet point list of amenities is as follows:

• Affordable exhibition space (starting at $20)
  
• Free admission
  
• Plenty of outlets for electronics
  
• Free wi-fi on site
  
• A reading room
  
• A bake sale
  
• And more!

It all drops August 21, 2010 at The Soap Factory, with a major party at Altered Esthetics afterwards.

But don't take my word for it ... check out the King Mini-adorned website, and see how many local cartoonists you can spot in the intro video:

mplsindiexpo.com

Last Day to Vote!

Today is the last day to vote for who will be the next Lutefisk Sushi Featured Artist. And you don't have to be a member of the Cartoonist Conspiracy to vote, just make sure you're a Minnesotan, or have strong MN ties (the Doc Pop scenario).

Voting is HERE.

Learn more about the Lutefisk Sushi HERE.

Voting for Lutefisk Sushi Vol. D is OPEN

Lutefisk Sushi is an art show celebrating Minnesota cartoonists (hence the "lutefisk") who create minicomics. For the show, their minicomics are collected in silk-screened bento boxes (hence the "sushi").

Altered Esthetics gallery in NE Minneapolis will be organizing the fourth Sushi show in August 2010. Each Sushi show has a featured artist who designs the bento box and showcases their artwork during the show. I was thrilled to be chosen as the featured artist for the previous show, but now it's time to pass the tiara to the next artist.

Please VOTE HERE (you will need to register to be able to vote):

And you can read more about the voting process HERE.

THE NOMINEES:

   Jesse GILLESPIE

   Danno KLONOWSKI

   Bob LIPSKI

   Britt SABO

   Tim SIEVERT

   Mike TOFT


Thanks to Steven Stwalley for organizing the poll and collecting the nominations.

4 DAYS UNTIL BIG FUNNY

Hard to believe that it was well over a year ago when a few of the Lutefisk Sushi C curators sat down to ask the all-important question: "What's next?"

Well, what's next is BIG FUNNY -- the hybrid gallery show and 48 page comics section. The printed newspapers have been sitting quietly in a secret location on Quincy Street, with only a handful having been released to the media. The paper will be released to the public (for a measly $5) at the opening reception this FRIDAY, AUGUST 7.

So come down to the opening this Friday and join over forty artists and their friends and family, as well as the Roe Family Singers. In addition to the long-awaited newspaper, you'll be able to check out original artwork from the paper, century-old newspaper strips (thanks to Steve Stwalley!), and never-before-seen original work from cartoonist William Ede.

Plus, the first 70 people to buy a copy of Big Funny at the opening get THIS.

BIG FUNNY in the media:

• The Onion AV Club
  
• Poopsheet Foundation
  
• Newsarama
  

Sushi Photos on L'Etoile

letoilemagazine.blogspot.com

Nice shots, Digital Crush!

Lutefisk Sushi Wrap-Up

Thanks to everyone who made this year's Sushi such a great success!

A few things to keep in mind:

1. The reception may be over, but the show itself will be up until May 31. Check the website under "event details" for times.
   
2. The Conspiracy will be hosting activities and events during Art-a-Whirl. Stay tuned for details.
   
3. A huge collection of photos from the reception is available online at alteredesthetics.phanfare.com. Thanks to John Terwilliger for generously sharing his work!
   
4. Any unsold art will need to be picked up from Altered Esthetics at some point after May 31. We'll keep you posted when we have more info.
   

MetroMix Sushi Video is Live

Click the screencap to go to the video.
If you're having trouble with the link, visit twincities.metromix.com and scroll down until you find my mug.

Take Your Vita.MNs

Vita.mn has a nice Lutefisk Sushi blurb on their site. I suspect there's something in the print version as well, but I haven't seen it yet.

http://vita.mn/story.php?id=18434184

The conspiracy continues

Those scheming cartoonists are at it again. A large contingent of the local comic-book community -- collectively known as the Cartoonist Conspiracy -- will be featured once again in a monthlong exhibit of comic art at the northeast Minneapolis gallery Altered Aesthetics. It kicks off Friday night with a party of geeky proportions, where the Conspiracy will debut the third edition of its "Lutefisk Sushi" comic-book box set. This year, more than 50 cartoonists contributed comics. Kevin Cannon designed the "Lutefisk Sushi" box with a wild illustration of a giant fish rampaging through our city streets. Very frightening. For more info, check out the group's cool website: www.cartoonistconspiracy.com/sushi.

Tom Horgen

Hanging Party!

MetroMix Plug

KARE11 launched a new website today called metromix. Keep checking the site, because within a week you may find a video chock full of your favorite Conspirators talking about life & comics.


Why is the woman in the photo so happy? Could it be that she and her gentleman friend just read "Understanding Toilets" by Danno Klonowski?

That's my guess. Swing by the "Potty Humor" section of Lutefisk Sushi to read it for yourself!

Sushi Goes A-List

Thanks, City Pages!

http://calendar.citypages.com/location/79427/

Lutefisk Sushi Volume C

Daily from Thu., May 1 until Sat., May 31
Galleries
Altered Esthetics


Will Lutefisk Sushi ever reach Volume Z? It's possible but hard to imagine, considering each box set is a massive collection of original comic art and mini-comics. Volume C will feature work by around 50 artists including Kevin Cannon, who will also be premiering a special limited edition of his graphic novel Far Arden at the reception at Altered Esthetics. Part book launch, part art show, other aspects of the gallery event include "The Potty Humor Exhibit," which will feature crude and dirty-humored artwork in, of course, the bathroom, and a hand-crank zoetrope constructed by Sushi contributor Ken Avidor. The opening reception, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, May 2, will also serve as a fundraiser for Altered Esthetics, with a silent auction, first edition prints by Adam Turman, live music, and the unveiling of an art vending machine, which we'll take over a pop machine any day.— Jessica Armbruster

Lutefisk Sushi C Website Updated

One week to go until the big gallery opening.

Check out the updated website and pass the URL along to your friends!




www.cartoonistconspiracy.com/sushi

Sushi C Box Printing

The highlight of each Lutefisk Sushi show is the silk-screened box that eventually gets stuffed with 50 locally produced mini-comics. This box is limited to 150 copies and will be unveiled at the Sushi gallery show on May 2nd.

Tonight Shad Petosky (of Puny Entertainment fame) and Zander and I pulled the two color prints. Well, Shad did all the pulling ... and all the prep work ... and most of the clean-up... Anyway, here's how it all went down:

First I gave the artwork to Shad as two black images, one for the blue ink layer and one for the salmon ink.

Shad printed out the art, covered the paper with oil to make it translucent, and placed the art on the screen. (The screen had been coated with light-sensitive emulsion. Here's the art for the salmon ink layer on the exposure table:


The screen is exposed, the emulsion is washed out, and we're left with a surface that is solid except for where the ink will pass through. This process is repeated on a second screen for the second color.


I mixed up two big batches of blue and salmon ink while Shad bolted the first screen to the printing table hinges. Here I'm putting the box (in its raw, unfolded form), beneath the screen, lining it up to the registration marks:


After the box is lined up correctly Shad pulls the screen down and forcefully uses a squeegee to pull ink over the live art area. He then lifts the screen up, Zander pulls the printed box out, and I put a fresh box in. Zander makes sure everything's working like clockwork:


Here's the first color -- the bottom layer of ink -- drying in the Mega Rack:


After two hundred boxes are pulled, we take a two hour break and do the whole process over again with the second color:


The creative energy in that studio make some men go mad with power...


... and others mad with hubris:


Thanks to Curtis for helping with photography!

Make Your Own Lutefisk Sushi T-Shirts!

UPDATE: Linked images (below) are fixed!


Show your Sushi pride and mad DIY skillz! Make a Lutefisk Sushi Volume C t-shirt with a design below.

MATERIALS

• ink-jet printer
  
• scissors
  
• iron (NO steam)
  
• flat ironing surface (like a drafting table)
  
• t-shirt (washed & ironed)
  
• t-shirt transfer paper (buy at Target)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Purchase t-shirt transfer paper. CAUTION: There are two kinds of paper: one for light fabric shirts and one for dark fabric shirts.
   
2. Follow the instructions that come with your paper. CAUTION: This is important, as the light and dark paper have very different instructions.
   
3. Wear it to Altered Esthetics for the May 2nd opening!

IMAGES
[Click on the images below to view full-size. Then right-click to download. Jpegs are 200 dpi.]

Version 1, 6 inches wide:

Version 1, 3 inches wide:

Version 2, 6 inches wide:

Version 2, 3 inches wide:

Sushi Artist Potluck on Saturday at AE

Attention All Sushi Artists:

Don't miss the potluck at Altered Esthetics this Saturday, April 12, from 1-3pm.

If you have artwork to drop off, this is your last chance! If you just want to hang out and see the gallery space, come on by!

Because it's a potluck, please bring some food. Steve wrote up a handy food matrix so we don't all end up bring chips:

If your last name starts with a A-F please bring salads, fruits or veggies.
If your last name starts with G-L, and isn't J, please bring on the casseroles, crockpots, crackpots or other entrées. Vegetarian or vegan if you are a K or an L.
J is for jello.
If your last name starts with M, something spicy please. With zing!
If your last name starts with N-R, dessert please. I did not just make this the dessert group because Rita is in it, either. OK, maybe I did. What are you gonna do about it? Vegetarian or vegan if you are a P, Q, or R.
Boy we have a lot of S. S's, better bring something healthy. Do I smell appetizers? In honor of the late Chuck Heston, make them veggie or vegan if you like Planet of the Apes better than Soylent Green.
If your last name starts with T-V, please bring beer or other beverages. Or condiments, since most of those are drinkable too.
If your last name starts with W-Y, cups, utensils, plates, napkins, paper swimsuits.
If your last name starts with Z please bring lutefisk sushi and antacids

See you there!

Sushi Update

What's Up With Lutefisk Sushi:

First, check out Steve's post from last week.

The deadline for mini-comics has been extended until March 31. You still have until April 12th to turn in art or any books that you want to sell.

I apologize to anyone who tried to turn in comics on the day of the deadline March 15th. You probably noticed that no one was in the office. We chose March 15th because it was the middle of the month, and failed to see that it didn't fall on a weekday. Our bad!

If you can't turn your books in by 5pm on a weekday, I'm staying late on Friday, March 21st (late = 7:30pm).

Lutefisk Sushi Late Night Drop-Off

An update on dropping off your Lutefisk Sushi comics:

Since many of you nice folks have day jobs and can't swing by the Attic before 5pm, I'm going to be staying late at the Attic this Thursday. Late means 7:30pm -- and no later, because I can't miss Lost.

Big Time Attic
1618 Central Ave NE, Ste. 216
Minneapolis, MN 55413
(Second floor, above Diamond's Coffee Shoppe)

Consider This Your TWO WEEK NOTICE

Lutefisk Sushi -- that mini-comic event that seems eons away -- is right around the corner! In fact, cartoonists have until MARCH 15 to submit their comics.

Fortunately, the Sushi Team has created a handy interactive website to answer your Sushi-related questions. On the site you'll find the TWO FORMS you need to fill out and sign (one from Int'l Cartoonist Conspiracy and one from Altered Esthetics), info about the OPENING RECEPTION on May 2nd, and a chance to PUNCH HELICOPTERS in an unrealistically slow manner.

Please help spread the word on your blogs and newsletters:
www.cartoonistconspiracy.com/sushi





Thanks to the handful of folks who've submitted their comics, and we look forward the barrage of sequential art over the next two weeks!