Several times each day, lifting poles and rolling canvas, taking in, letting out, setting sail. At the Salon Russell Janis, there is a row of garage door size windows facing the sidewalk and we needed a solution to manage privacy, light and winter insulation. Putting our heads together, Russell and I each had our own thoughts: I wanted a single piece of fabric to span the entire area of the window for a clean simple look, he wanted heavyweight canvas like that of an old Boy Scout tent or the sail of a boat. With a ninety-six inch roll of canvas duck, eight foot pieces of 3/4" electrical conduit for horizontal supports, 2x3 studs for the pole notches, protective goggles, electric saw and sewing machine, our window system was born. Upon completion and use came some unexpected pleasure - that of arranging sails on a boat.

From a stack of old silver negatives found and printed is a particular black-and-white photograph, cherished. A picture of Russell's father as a boy wading on the edge of the the sea, shoulder straps of his bathing suit casually turned down and holding a string, a toy boat secured at its end. Standing in front of canvas sails, wood masts and hulls, clues to a time gone by, yet a recognizable feeling of summer that stays with us.