When you are little sometimes things happen within the closed social environment of school or camp or sports that distinguishes you from others.  Sometimes this event is affirming or seemingly heroic, like the guy who scores the winning goal or saves the anonymous passerby from a potentially ill-fated situation.  More likely however, the event that identifies you within your own social group, is the situation or action that is the impetus for the creation of the kind of nickname that follows you through your formative years, and becomes the single most salient reason for moving away for college. It is because of all of the taunted momma’s boys and slutty girls, for all of the nicknames like squid, pants, cool breeze, éclair, skin-dee and thunder thighs for all of the moments that trail you like a homeless dog—it is for reasons like that I have never posted a blog. Although the editor of Semantikon has assured me, much like a motivated lover in the
dark, that this activity is perfectly safe, and that anything that I write here can be edited or removed I know that, much like the gossip on the playground, once the word is out it cannot be retracted. And so it is with a combination of virginal ignorance, hesitation, and intentional blindness that you just want to hold me, and not fuck me that I type these words, and join the ranks of the hubris inspired masses that believe their thoughts and poorly conceived and punctuated posts matter. And so welcome to my blog and remember I never do this.

it’s sunday afternoon and i have been getting emails about where things have been moving on the site  since last we posted. thus far, we have scheduled two more feature visual artist(more on that soon), and laid out plans for our first edition of the 2009 year. part of our ever expanding collection of site features, today, we are happy to welcome jan 2009 feature scot kaplan, our first guest blogger on hypergraphia who will be writing along side me throughout the week as we get ready to go…wheels a turning…

lance oditt
publisher, semantikon.com/three fools press

Today brings news about the 2009 feature year as we have confirmed two guest editors—Belgian film maker and art educator Geert Wachtalaer and former literature feature Mick Parsons. Geert, featured on our site early on as one of our first  film features and later on, as our featured  visual artist in january 2006, Mick, who has shared a hand creating Cincinnati’s writing nonprofit InkTank also ran three legged cow press, edited sticky kitchen journal—-besides being an early and continuing evangelist for the semantikon operation and ethic. Mick’s work  featured in early 2005 and his 2006 feature included a downloadable version of his book expedition notes.

The diversity of styles, aesthetic and experience will provide useful to both as they prepare to launch their editions of the site and—no doubt we are proud to have them on and help them make the most of the tools and resources we provide to empower people to manifest a more organic and community driven publishing operation.

Want to hear more news like this? Bookmark this blog or subscribe to our news feed to receive ongoing news…

Armory 2009 Show Details…

Public Hours: Thursday, March 5 through Sunday, March 8
Piers 92 and 94
Twelfth Avenue at 55th Street, New York City
www.thearmoryshow.com

Ken Morgan...Trapeze Days

News on future feature…
In the time since the site was last updated, I’ve had the opportunity to spoke at length with Ken, who, besides being a former trapeze performer, has Ohio roots in the Columbus arts community and in arts education. Ken, who suffered a stroke a few years back continues to create works—and part of our discussion including talk of supporting a unique interactive project generating a  “coloring book” of his works inviting the audience and fellow artist to color his works, scan or mail them in—after which, the works will be made prepared for print and sold at auction with proceeds benefiting a charity that works to assist artists afflicted with various physically impairments.

Ever and after…
As discussed in the recent semantikon editorial about my own personal strife and family sorrow while we were away, I came to learn from Ken that he had lost his wife, Kate, to cancer during the course of the year. Although we typically do not discuss personal issues on the site, I feel it important to note that in his wife’s absence, Ken was inspiration to me as he shows no signs of stopping—an  unique soul that is equal parts dignity and grace, able to steer sheer will through the abyss to imagine each new day.

Ken sent along some new works for us to peruse, and in the coming weeks we will be sharing a few of those works and sending news about the “coloring” book project with Ken later this year….

a sample of new work by Ken…

“Logo #2″ by Ken Morgan (2008)

Semantikon will launch its 2009 year with artist Scot Kaplan. Below find the first in a series of films, reviews and articles about his work creating visual art, performance works, installation works, video and writings. Video on the link below.

Scot Kaplan\’s 30 Cakes