Monthly Archives: July 2007

Updates on Eric Lappegard

Some recent updates on Eric, including info on how to send money his way and help out immediately (in the bottom post).

THURSDAY, JULY 12, 2007 07:31 PM, CDT

Today started out the same as yesterday. They had Eric sedated to help his lungs to continue to heal and to help him with his breathing. He is still on oxygen, but they have brought down the precentage he is receiving, so hopefully in the next couple of days they will be able to take to breathing tube out and he will be able to talk. He had 2 visitors today, Pastor Paul Hoffman from a church here in Seattle and Suzie Strait. He opened his eyes for both of them and was very alert when Suzie was here. He also squeezed their hands a little when asked too. You could tell he really enjoyed her visit. Suzie & Shawn Kock are going to go get his belongings out of the truck on Saturday and bring them to Seattle. Suzie has a garage we can store the items in for the time being. You don’t know how much we appreciate them for doing this. They gave Eric a bath and washed his hair today so he really looks great. I think the dirty hair was bothering him because he kept wanting one of us to scratch his head. Thank you for all your prayers, hopefully he will continue to make more improvements every day.

Cindy & family

FRIDAY, JULY 13, 2007 09:05 PM, CDT

Not much changed today over yesterday. Eric slept most of the day. They did not give him much meds to make him sleep. They wanted him to wake up a little, but he fooled them and slept anyway. They worked vigorously on his left lung, because that lung has fluid in it and they really wanted to get the fluid out. This evening when he did finally wake a little he kept asking for something. After much frustration on his part and ours and with the help of a alphabet board we finally figured out that he wanted some water. Even though he is not able to drink they did swab his mouth with some water and he enjoyed that. The doctor said it would probably be a few more days before he will be able to get the breathing tube out of his mouth. We also found the cartoon network on his tv so now he will be in heaven even if all he does is listen to it. Thank you everyone for your prayers and messages they mean a great deal to us.

Cindy & family

SATURDAY, JULY 14, 2007 11:59 AM, CDT

Eric didn’t sleep well last night. He was running a temperature during the night. Things are looking a little better today (a mother’s hope). They are going to sit him up in a chair today if he maintains his blood pressure. We will update you more later today on how his day went.

Many people have asked how they can help financially for Eric’s ongoing care & comfort. My uncle has established an account in Eric’s name at a bank in Minnesota. He tells me that donations can be made as follows:

Account of EricLappegard Voyager Bank

500 Marschall Road

Shakopee, MN 55379

We will keep you updated later today on his condition.

Cindy & family

Museum Looking for Artists for Midwestern Cartoonist Show

I thought this message board post should get wider viewing so here it is… go to the message board to respond:

I am working with a museum that is considering doing a show about cartoonists currently living in the northern Midwest some time in late 2008. Nothing is certain yet, but mostly we are just looking at what kind of work is available. If you would like to suggest yourself, other artists, or if you know of an existing lists of artists by location I would greatly appreciate it.

It would also be helpful to know where examples of listed artists cartooning work can be found. (Stores, Websites, Publications, ect.)

Currently the kinds of work being considered is completely open. It can be one panel drawings, daily strips, online cartoons, mini comics, comic books, novels, or even animation. The work can be produced for a major publisher, small press, self published, or for underground distribution. We are judging the work purely on aesthetics merits.

Once we get a grasp on what is available we will begin to narrow our focus.

Rice Cartoonist Conspiracy — This Saturday!!!

The Rice Cartoonist Conspiracy is meeting on July, Saturday the 14th 7:00 -9:00 pm at the Rice Print Shop art gallery on the 2nd floor of 310 Division St S, in Rice, MN. Join us for a pleasant and relaxing evening of cartooning, comic book gawking, weirdness and conversation. Art supplies are available for those who lack them, but for maximum joy, bring your favorite implements of destruction.

Cartoon babe extraordinare, Maria Lorimer will be bringing her delicious rice balls and snacks. Loki and the Jimmy might be bringing desert. Pizza might also be in the horizon upon request. A delicious selection of teas will be available at no cost. This meeting’s theme: “7/7/7, Friday the 13th and other experiments in bad numerology.” The comic book library will be open, and we will be taking a collection and making a comic art/comic book care package for Eric Lappegard. If you can’t attend and want to help, please contact Vas.

Hope to see you there!

Questions? Call 320-393-3349 or, our weekend like at 492-0475. Alternatively, you may email us at info@riceprintshop.com.

Albert Lea gallery show for Midwest Comics

Hello!

In Albert Lea, MN I was offered a gallery room to organize a show. I think it would be quite the delight if some of us could contribute to it.

If you are in the Minneapolis NE area, Tim Sievert (www.timsievert.com) who has a book “That Salty Air” coming out with Top Shelf in November, has volunteered to be your convenient delivery-man to bring your comic art down to Max’s Albert Lea Comics Show when he drives down on the 21st.

The show is open to the public and will last from August 2nd or so to August 30th, with an opening on the 5th. More information and a press release will appear soon. Bring two of your favorite black and white pages of comic art (as in, with panels in it, preferably) mounted or unmounted as your preference to Tim before the 21st, probably to Puny office/studio behind Diamond’s coffee shop … like early next Friday at the latest.

I might be mounting some of your stuff on black foamcore before the show if I have time, but probably not. If you miss Tim’s drive and still can’t find that darling page, you could just snail it to me. Let me know if you want to be in the show and I’ll give you the “postal address!” But I think I want to make up little mini-comic style brochures or something, too. So ideally, I know you’re contributing before the last week of July.

Oh, and please include information about yourself and the pages on some sort of paper! Everyone will be curious what your stuff is about and I want to label stuff correctly, including the name of the work, the page numbers, what the story is about or what magazine it was for, etc. An artist statement or something wouldn’t be bad either for the little ‘guide to the show’ I’ll be making.

Would anyone be able to get something of Eric’s and his permission if he is interested?

More on Eric Lappegard

As Danno mentioned previously, the Conspiracy and others will be organizing a benefit for Eric to help him out a bit. Eric is known for his passion for biking, music, and comics, and he has a lot of friends from all these interests… we’re having a meeting Tuesday that anyone who knows Eric and wants to help put together this benefit is encouraged to attend. I’ve started a thread on the message board here to help with organizing as well.

We’re going to meet and discuss this next Tuesday at 8:30PM at:

Diamond’s Coffee Shoppe
1618 Central Avenue Northeast
Minneapolis, MN

We’ll also be drawing a jam card to send his way. If you have something you’d like to send his way, we’ll also be collecting items for a care package. Your comics and mini-comics would be a great contribution to this.

Updates on Eric’s condition can be found here. If you know Eric, please take the time to sign the guest book and let Eric and his family know that they are in your thoughts.

Here are the details of the accident and Eric’s condition from that site:

Eric was in a one vehicle accident on July 7, 2007 somewhere between Spokane and Seattle Washington. He was on his way to Portland, OR to see his cousin Kendall. Still unsure of what exactly happened, we do know that he over corrected his driving and rolled the vehicle. Eric is in the Neuro Intensive Care Unit at this time. He severely injured his spine, at this time he is paralyzed from the chest down. He is able to move his arms, but not able to move his hands or fingers. He is having some respiratory problems so they have a tube in him to help him with his breathing. They also now have him sedated to help his lungs heal.

There has been one update on the journal there so far:

7-11-07

Today eric started the day off not much different than yesterday but as the evening came his breating has gotten a little better, hopeing to be off the vent soon. They started to reduce the medication that has him sedated so he is a little more awake. But trying to keep him calm. He HATES the vent! The nurse did some tests with his hands and we did see a little movement. These are all baby steps but in the right direction.

Eric Lappegard

Beloved Minneapolis cartoonist/bike enthusiast/all-around nice guy Eric Lappegard was recently in a car accident while out in Seattle.
Things are pretty serious.
I guess he can move his arms but not legs or hands, and there is a better chance of getting the hands back.
It’s all a little sketchy at this point but I’ll probably hear more in a couple of days.

You can contact Eric via the hospital email at:

http://www.uwmedicine.org/Facilities/Harborview/ClinicsAndServices/emailGifts.htm

or mailto:patient@u.washington.edu

There will be SOMETHING(probably a benefit concert/bike-a-thon) in the not to distant future to help with medical bills, and show the cities solidarity and love for Eric. When more information becomes available I’ll post it(although I’m thinking we should put together a benefit anthology to sell at the show/around town).

–danno

Sat. Open Studio, July 21, noon – 4 p.m.

Saturday Open Studio

Sat., July 21, noon-4 p.m., MCBA

Back in the groove, schedule-wise.

Join us at the Minnesota Center for Book Arts for cartooning fun. If you don’t find us right away, ask the friendly person working in the bookstore. This is open studio time for all cartoonists. There’s plenty of room for everyone.

The sixth installment of the 12-part 144-page graphic novel challenge will be going on during the open studio. Cheer on the page-crazed cartoonists. Or join in. They are starting today’s 12 hours in the coffee shop at 8 a.m.

Minnesota Center for Book Arts
(Just down the street from Big Brain Comics)
1011 Washington Ave S, Suite 100
Minneapolis, MN 55415
Phone: 612-215-2520

Future Sat. Open Studio:
August 18