As we pulled onto the highway headed for NCECA it occurred to me that finally I am one of the merging artists this year. Much thought and preparation has gone into this year’s trip. My bag is filled with swag and I have honed some techniques to make my NCECA experience the best it can be. Let me share with you some of the helpful tools I plan to employ.
The over the shoulder crowd survey
This is a common tool used by those who want to make the most of their time. When catching up with an old friend make sure you keep looking over his or her shoulder for someone else with more status. Perhaps someone well known that you would like to be seen talking to, or someone whose ego you would like to massage hoping they can give your career a boost. Never be afraid to trade up, NCECA will soon be over.
Make sure you have your “I don’t remember you but want to seem like I do” phrases ready.
You will need these. Let me share a few that imply varying degrees of false intimacy.
You will need these. Let me share a few that imply varying degrees of false intimacy.
- “Heeeeyyyyyyy”. Draw this one out, the less you remember the person the longer this greeting should be. It may give you time to recollect and the lag time suggests pleasure and enthusiasm at seeing this stranger.
- “Wow, you have lost weight”. Always a good way to go, unless they are a recent amputee.
- “Did that rash ever clear up”?
- “I always enjoy your status updates on Facebook”.
- “What ever happened with that paternity test”. Note: This is fine to ask women as well as men.
- “Got that $20 you owe me?” You never know, and if you insist enough you can always settle and let them buy you lunch.
At NCECA be prepared to see some crappy work.
You must be armed with vaguely upbeat but non-committal comments that suggest interest but cover your dismay, disgust or nausea. Here are a few.
You must be armed with vaguely upbeat but non-committal comments that suggest interest but cover your dismay, disgust or nausea. Here are a few.
- Interesting
- Look at that!
- You price your work way too cheap.
- That ‘s bold!
- How much time did you spend on that?
- I have never seen work like this.
- I admire your courage to present work like this.
- Now that’s a handle!
- I didn’t think it could be done, but you have ruined dirt.
- How many poo-flinging monkeys helped you with this?
- You have raised the bar for craptastic work everywhere.
And finally you will find yourself in deep and meaningful conversations that you cannot wait to get away from.
In these situations you will need a few polite ways to excuse yourself immediately. Feel free to use any of these:
In these situations you will need a few polite ways to excuse yourself immediately. Feel free to use any of these:
- What time is it? Oh man I need to run.
- Oh there goes my ride.
- I am sorry but there is a lecture I really want to hear. (This one is hard to make sound truthful, I mean, holy cow, people talk so much at NCECA. Really how much can you say about dirt. I’d probably listen more if it was about me or Jersey Shore.)
- Do you have $50 bucks I can borrow?
- The infection is highly contagious; do you have any lip balm I can borrow?
- Whoops there goes my Irritable Bowell Syndrome
- Do you have any crack on you?
- My therapist says I am due for a beserker rage any day now.
Anyway I am looking forward to my time at NCECA this year. You will find me looking over the shoulder of one of my nearest and dearest friends.
Simon Levin is an irregular contributor to Sawdust and Dirt. He lives and makes pots in Gresham, WI. When Simon is not making or firing pots, fighting fires, or caring for his lovely family, he is creating such wonders as WikiClay! To find out more about Simon Levin and his pottery go to simonlevin.com. 
