S!cK was a zine publication inspired by the Fluxus Movement of the 60s and 70s, and the underground Punk Scene zines of the 90s with many comparing it to a “Modern MAD Magazine” and considering it a source competitor with other publications in the area.

It’s intention was for the artist to better understand the community around her, and by proxy, came to unify those that invested their interests in the project. Sitting first chair at the recently opened Neon Rooster music venue in Aberdeen, NC and working with musicians and bands on cover art and album design as a freelance and self-proclaimed “band artist,” Skylar was able to witness a need to fill; giving a voice and representation for the creatives in a community that often get overlooked, underpaid, and under-appreciated.

Following her 2022 graduation from Virginia Commonwealth University, Skylar found herself feeling a loss of community, camaraderie, and humor she’d found in college through her painting program and working as a meme editor and content creator for various organizations. She’d felt like a ghost or shadow, observing new spaces, people and lifestyles since moving to Aberdeen with her partner, musician and best friend, Sean Diesfeld, and wanted to make her presence known, as well as the rich culture she was observing beneath the golf and equestrian reputation of “S.Pines.”

After a week of having a cold keeping her bed bound, she began working on the first unofficial 10 page zine, S!cK. The small booklet included a comic of her dogs, tongue-in-cheek graphic design, and spoof ads promoting her friends’ bands. After sharing the copy with others, they advocated for her to do more with the venture and pursue a real zine publication.

She began meeting with businesses for print sponsorship, interviewing artists, and collaborating with various creatives in her new community. The first August issue came together with a few rules per the artist- there must be a page for her friends’ band, there must be a comic of her dogs, there must be a contribution from an outside artist colleague, and for a small business to invest in for a full page ad at the cost of printing 10 copies each, they must trust her design vision without intervention.

She was able to afford and print at least 50-150 copies per run- each being 20 pages, and disseminated them for free public access throughout central Moore County. She designed and wrote most all of S!cK’s contents, arranged, had printed, assembled, and dropped off the zine across businesses, little free libraries, and window displays with local maps.

It has since become a niche cult classic.

People still ask when the next issue may drop.

She’s not had too bad of a cold lately though.