Years ago, when I was in an autobiography reading phase, I came across “The Story of the Trapp Family Singers,” written by Maria Augusta Trapp. I was more enchanted by the book than I was by the movie (which was, in my opinion, top drawer. It’s got everything: Good music, singing nuns, children in lederhosen, political intrigue, and fleeing in the middle of the night as an effort to evade those pesky Nazis…even my brother didn’t mind sitting through multiple screenings I forced upon him). It didn’t make me want to get together a folk singing family together, since I’ve been told my musical styling was reminiscent of 40 seals holding a sing-along. But it did give me a brighter outlook on life. Reading that book marked the end of my goth-wannabe phase.
This set depicts all the Von Trapp children from the movie in their outrageous “play clothes,” made out of curtains. In actuality, there were 10 Von Trapp kids, not 7, but I got a little dizzy thinking about painting all that damask pattern on a 12″ doll and that was the end of that internal debate.
Liesl with a little doe, Fredrich with a sun…can you see where this is going?
Louisa pointing to herself, Kurt running, Brigitta with a needle pulling thread (click on the images for a closer look).
Marta’s notes are following one another and little Gretl with a cup of tea. And that will bring us back to…that’s right, Doe!
I could’ve cheated and painted them in their uniforms, but the curtain patterns were calling loud and clear and I’ve painted Sailor Moon type outfits several times in the past so it’s a no brainer.
The Von Trapp kids after falling out of the boat.
It’s a bit of a relief to get this project over and done with because I cannot get the entire score to The Sound of Music out of my head. The next project, unfortunately, is going to be based on another musical as well. How will I ever survive that?
