The "Sails" series reflects a part of Totte's family history: her grandfather, Bernhard Berg, was one of the last big sailship captains in the world. His ship carried wheat from Australia, Argentina and Brazil to Europe. He was only able to return to his home town, Vaasa in Finland, once every year.
Sails moved the ships forwards. Thanks to sails, Columbus, Cook and others could discover and explore new continents - using only the natural elements of the wind and the strength of their crew. But the ships were slow, and as steam came in, people wanted goods to move fast from one harbour to another. Coal and cheap petroleum soon made these beautiful schooners, cutters and clippers obsolete, because time became money. Now we realise the damage that the demands of time and money cause the environment, maybe we shall return to the natural forces of the wind, and the strength of men. Maybe the sailships will one day come back.