Sonja Arndt Biography
Sonja Arndt (b. 1969, Pretoria) is a South African visual artist whose practice is rooted in expressive oil painting. Raised in an international environment as the daughter of a diplomat, she spent formative years in Buenos Aires and New York, where early exposure to art education and global cultural institutions shaped her artistic sensibility. A pivotal journey through Paris, Venice, and Rome during her youth further solidified her commitment to pursuing art as a lifelong vocation.
Arndt completed her formal training at Pro Arte before studying Fine Art at Pretoria Technikon, where she was mentored by artists such as Carl Jeppe and Egon Tania. Her work reflects a synthesis of technical discipline and intuitive exploration, informed by both her academic grounding and lived experience.
Working primarily in oil, Arndt explores themes of movement, light, and spiritual resonance through nature-based imagery. Her paintings, while anchored in recognizable forms, move beyond representation into a more expressionistic and atmospheric language. Water, in particular, serves as a recurring motif—both as subject and metaphor—through which she investigates transparency, depth, and transformation.
A defining focus in her work is the depiction of koi fish, rendered as fluid, luminous forms that animate the pictorial surface. Through layered applications of paint, she achieves a sense of shifting light and immersion, inviting the viewer into a contemplative, almost meditative visual experience. Her approach emphasises rhythm, contrast, and gesture, drawing subtle parallels to the emotive intensity found in the work of artists such as Rothko and Pollock.
Arndt has exhibited widely in South Africa, with shows at established galleries including the Tina Skukan Gallery, the Michael Heyns Gallery, and Gallery Riette in Heidelberg, as well as ongoing participation in Art Alive, Pretoria. In 2026, she presented a solo exhibition at Johan van Heerden alongside leading South African artists, including sculptor Anton Smit.
Based in Pretoria, Arndt continues to develop her practice while also contributing to arts education. She has worked extensively with students of all ages and has been involved in teaching art to children with autism, ADHD, and learning disabilities. Her commitment to both artistic practice and education reflects a broader dedication to fostering creativity and personal expression.
