The motto of Erin Langner's new Seattle-based art blog, Peripheral Vision, is "not the center of anything."

How true and not only in Seattle. Although there continue to be aggregate cities, places where artists collect like barnacles on a pier, none is central.

Remember that scene in "Apocalypse Now", when Martin Sheen staggers ashore at night? Bombs burst. Metal plays. He approaches a solider and asks, "Who's in charge?" The solider favors him with a flat stare. "Nobody," says the solider. Peripheral vision is, in other words, essential, which puts Langner's among the best-named art blogs.

The list isn't long, despite the rapid proliferation of the field. I love the name C-Monster, but something similar wouldn't fit Langner, who is not likely to post a douche bag award or react to ridiculous news with, "For reals?"

Art Fag City is a show stopper, as is the largely defunct blog known as Militant Art B..ch. Modern Art Notes is understated; the title's cool and the content hot.

NEWSgrist is good, signaling her savvy, take-no-prisoners approach.

Two Coats of Paint underlines its slant: painting and painting. You got video? Go away. Two Coats doesn't care.

I'm jealous of Looking Around. Isn't that what we all do? We like to watch.

Port is good for a city on the water, specifically that city: Portland.

Who came up with Art to Go? I fear I did. Go where? Talk about poor impulse control and leaping before looking. If I could name it again, I'd call it Transformation of Waste, after Patti Smith, or Bloom Where You're Planted, which would be truth in advertising. Always Be Closing would be far, far better than Art To Go. It's a David Mamet line, but he's not using it lately.

(Alec Balwin's Always Be Closing from Glengarry Glen Ross, posted on YouTube by David Salomon)

Moving on to happier handles: As the jaunty voice of the University of Washington's Henry Art Gallery, the name Hankblog is terrific. Henry to Hank sets the tone.

Eco Art Blog is medium fused with message. No doubt about that slant.

I heart photograph is concise, just like the site. Few words and many remarkable images. Ditto Brief Epigrams.

One more from Seattle, the blog whose handle continues to knock me out: Dangerous Chunky.

Another one that never fails to entertain: Book Daddy. He lives up to it too. He writes as if he's Nathan Detroit, assuming that Nathan gave up gambling for reading but retained his likeably illegal tone. Also reminding me of a musical, Modern Kicks.

Then there's the direct approach. Edward Winkleman. He runs it, he calls it. A recent Winkleman post bore a title that would make an excellent blog handle: Who Are You People? I could work with that.

Finally, and I know I'm leaving out crucial blogs, there's The Exhibitionist. For someone who almost never shows off, and only then to make fun of himself, the tag is both descriptive and ironic.

Amid these front runners, Peripheral Vision holds up well. As for her posts, so far so good. Her interests are broad and her observations finely honed. Art bloggers don't (usually) get paid (yet), but they do get credit. Erin Langner? Who that? In a couple of months, if she maintains at this level, few will need to ask.