Recently I discovered my first grade report card, and although my grades, if you can call them that in the first grade, were stellar, I noticed a comment from Mrs. Comartin, my teacher, stating, “Meg is a good student academically, she needs to learn how to use her “spare” time wisely. We’re working on making appropriate choices.” This idea of spare time at the age of six, and the inability to use that time wisely seemed odd to me. I decided to start researching spare time, and that led me to my book project.
Through researching associations such as The American Journal of Play, which was founded in 2008, and The American Academy of Pediatrics, I was able to find data documenting the decline of play in adolescents, the benefits that play brings to children, and that a large proportion of play should be child driven rather than adult directed. I wanted to take these facts, as well as a few quotes regarding spare/free/play time and use all of this data to create my book, entitled Spare Time.
I created a clamshell-like box with 9 loose prints, each print holds a different letterpressed quote about spare time, and imagery of clouds that can be placed together to create a large poster. On the opposite side each print has a large letter allowing to play with both sides of the paper. Accompanying the prints is a small pamphlet stitched book with more
information regarding the need for spare time, as well as the colophon for the project and information on the project as well.
Although this project started with a personal document, my goal was to make this project a jumping off point to discuss the need for children and adults alike to take time to find pleasure in the spare parts of life. Between quotes and design, I believe I achieved this feeling, and the final execution is a piece that can stand as a testament to my design and printing knowledge, or as Pablo Picasso said, “Look for a situation in which your work will give you as much happiness as your spare time.”This project allowed my work and spare time to come together to create a project that will hopefully embody those feelings as well.
