About Sonja Neuroth

Art has always been a part of my life. Even as a child, painting was my refuge—a space where I could express myself freely and create my own world. Animals played a central role from the very beginning and remain an essential part of my visual language to this day. This is also shaped by the fact that, alongside my work as an artist, I spent around 12 years working as a coach for animal owners and, among other things, led an animal academy.

Over many years, I developed my artistic style independently and began offering my work professionally in 2014. At first, I mainly created commissioned pieces—but over time, my artistic expression became freer, more intuitive, and more multi-layered.

A defining turning point came in 2024, when I began to explore mixed media and oil painting more intensively. This allowed me to refine my style further and elevate my work to a new level—with greater depth, expression, and artistic freedom. Since then, I have worked extensively in series, each with its own story, visual world, and stylistic language.

What defines my art

My work blends real and abstract elements, often through human and animal representations. Animals are more than a motif—they symbolize inner states, strengths, and facets present in every person.

Through contrasts, color, and a mix of materials, my pieces operate on multiple levels simultaneously: visually, emotionally, and intuitively. Each work becomes an individual expression of identity.

My focus is on creating art that does more than please the eye—it moves something within you. I collaborate with people and brands who want to show themselves intentionally—who don’t hide their uniqueness but make it visible. In addition to paintings, I create books and other creative formats, translating the messages of my art into words and making them accessible for everyday life.

My styles, expressions and materials

I love exploring diverse forms of expression and have experimented with many styles and materials. Over time, I’ve integrated the following influences into my work in my own way:

On paper and canvas, I primarily work in abstract realism—a style that combines realistic elements with abstract ones. Figures are usually depicted realistically and in detail, while backgrounds or other parts of the image remain abstract. Sometimes the figures transition from realism to abstraction, creating striking contrasts. I use mixed media—including acrylics, spray paints, collage elements, texture pastes, and oils. These works are characterized by vibrant colors and layered complexity, often with an expressive character.

My illustrations (e.g., logo designs) and hand-painted items (e.g., handbags and shoes) are often more detailed. For hand-painted pieces, I draw inspiration from the fineline tattoo style, sometimes using an actual tattoo machine on leather or faux leather. During my training as a tattoo artist, I also created tattoo designs inspired by this style, again exploring the theme of “making identity visible.”