About Sonja
“Drawing and painting are my meditation. Recording memories in place and time is my motivation. I strive always for my artwork to honor the sentimental treasures that weave our uniquely personal histories. That is why most of my work reflects the classic tradition of realism. For it is not for me to reinterpret a subject, but to record it accurately with great care to discover the beauty in the finest details.
My work is a way to mark time and to revisit special moments.
My designs are inspired by the contrast of the man-made and the organic world. I’ll draw architecture sitting among ivy; and paint clouds to soften towering church spires. I work to represent the glorious energy between the hard lines of our built world and the soft lines of Mother Earth.” ~ Sonja 💜
Sonja Petersen is an artist born and raised in Virginia. She offers custom artwork and is best known for her house drawings and pet portraits. She works with each customer in choosing the subject and the style of their own artwork in custom designed pieces.
She started exhibiting and commissioning pencil drawings in her teens while growing up in Culpeper, Virginia. She was first recognized with a ribbon in her debut gallery exhibit in 1990 in Washington, VA. After studying painting and printmaking at Virginia Commonwealth University and history at Mary Washington College, she launched her career in marketing and design with the City of Fredericksburg. Sonja moved on to run her own graphic design studio for eight years before rejoining her duties in civil service with the city.
She continues to paint and draw throughout her career, and has been selling her art for more than 35 years. Her work has gained international attention in recent years with house portraits and an illustrated book across the pond and down under. When asked how she does it all, her reply is simple, “Just like the legs on a table, I have three passions that hold me up and keep me going - my family, my work and my daily sessions in my home art studio.”