Petronella Grahn (b. 1970, Helsinki) is a fairytale artist, author, illustrator, designer, creative visionary, and creator, as well as a mother of six children. She is best known as the creator of the magical world of Pomenia – an entire universe that combines Finnish fairy tale tradition, modern storytelling, and a deep understanding of a child’s emotional development.
Grahn’s work combines story, image, art, and design into a cohesive whole that moves between literature, art, and pedagogy. Her works are vibrant and enduring, encouraging both the child and the adult to see the world anew—through the eyes of a fairy tale.
In her vision work, Grahn sees possibilities where others see limitations. Pomenia is not just a story, but a living, multi-channel entity that combines art, value, and emotion.
In her art and brand building, the joy of family, the passion for work, and creativity meet—as well as the ability to make visible what others are only just sensing.
Life itself is the greatest fairy tale!
Pomenia originated from the bedtime stories that Petronella told her children. Over time, these grew into books, illustrations, pedagogical products, art, and an entire visual world that has gained widespread popularity in Finland—and now also internationally.
The first fairy tale book, Fairy’s Magic Dust, was published in 2015. It served as a gateway to the world of Pomenia and has since garnered over 350,000 views on YouTube—entirely without marketing.
In 2020, the first Pomenia books were published in a wider format:
The Secret of the Magic Dust (picture book)
Pomenia – The Great Adventure of the Magic World (fantasy novel/fairy tale novel)
In November 2020, both works rose to the list of Finland’s best-selling children’s books, and the final part of the trilogy followed a year later. With these works, Pomenia became a recognizable Finnish fairy tale world that continues to grow and expand into new stories, products, and experiences.
The Pomenia books are magical combinations of fantasy novels and illustrated fairy tale books, where story, illustration, and emotion run side-by-side. They were written and illustrated by Pomenia’s creator, fairy tale artist and mother of six children, Petronella Grahn, who draws her inspiration from childhood experiences, parenthood, and the power of imagination.
The books tell tales of courage, friendship, and the belief that anything is possible—if you only dare to dream. They invite both the child and the adult to pause, to look at the world through the eyes of a fairy tale, and to remember that magic is still real—very close by.
👉 Explore: The Pomenia Product Line – Kumma Kustannus
"Imagination – the world's strongest magic power!"
Pomenia’s stories do not remain confined to the pages of books, but actively participate in upbringing and education. Grahn has created an entire pedagogical world where fairy tale, emotion, and learning are interwoven.
The emotional intelligence and learning materials developed by her—such as cards, board games, and fairy tale yoga—are a unique combination of artistic expression and practical educational work.
Pomenia’s strength lies in the fact that it was not born from a curriculum, but from living experience: childhood, parenthood, and the power of imagination. This makes Grahn’s work exceptional – she has succeeded in bringing art and story directly into educational tools in a way that only few are capable of.
Pomenia’s pedagogical tools are used in early childhood education and schools across Finland. They help children identify emotions, strengthen empathy, and encourage imagination, creativity, and play—the foundations upon which the future is built.
Key Figures and Achievements” (tai “Facts and Figures and Achievements
Pomenia books and pedagogical products have sold a total of over 44,000 units between 2020 and 2025.
Library Loans in 2024: over 32,000 borrowings across Finland.
Learning materials and games based on the world of Pomenia are used in early childhood education and schools across the country.
First fairy tale book viewed over 350,000 times on YouTube without marketing
Pomenia’s emotional skills and learning materials in use in early childhood education throughout Finland
Check out the publisher’s website: Pomenia product series – Kumma Kustannus
“Not just pictures or technology – but emotion, courage, and the opportunity to imagine differently.”
Grahn’s art is narrative, emotionally appealing, and multi-layered.
He describes his fairy tale art as follows:
“Satutaide on minulle enemmän kuin tyyli tai tekniikka.
Se on tunnetta, rohkeutta ja halua nähdä maailma toisin – satusilmin.”
His works transport the viewer to the border between dreams and reality, and every color, line, and figure is part of a larger story—the heart of Pomenia.
In Grahn’s visual art and murals, colors, light, and sparkle are not decorations, but part of natural magic. He uses brilliance and sparkle like the world itself: in snowdrifts, morning dew, babbling brooks, and the fairy-tale gaze of a small child.
Every line, every color, and every brushstroke with its fairy-tale characters tells a story where reality and magic meet—and where the viewer is allowed to believe in the impossible for a moment.
Petronella Grahn’s murals are known throughout Finland. They are not just pictures, but experiences that evoke emotions and leave a mark on communities.
“Fairy tales touch our hearts, evoke emotions, inspire beautiful thoughts, and create lasting memories for generations to come.”
– fairy tale artist Petronella Grahn
Grahn’s murals can be found in libraries, daycare centers, hospitals, and schools.
They transform everyday spaces into living stories and invite both children and adults to pause and experience hope, playfulness, and magic.
👉 Download the list of works: PETRONELLA-GRAHN-MURAL-ART-LIST-OF-WORKS-2025
Petronella Grahn’s career began in 1997 when she founded the children’s clothing brand Tinttu.com. The brand was known for its collection of “childish children’s clothes and funny hats,” which combined playfulness, imagination, child-centeredness, and quality.
Tinttu.com quickly grew into an international phenomenon, with stores in Helsinki, Lohja, and Kotka, as well as over a hundred retailers across Finland.
All products were part of the Fairytale Design by Petronella Grahn ideology—clothing became part of a fairy tale.
Grahn continues to design patterns based on Pomenia, combining art and storytelling.
He has built a licensing ecosystem around himself that brings together Finnish creative professionals from various fields, from pedagogy to design and from art to technology. At the heart of it all is the idea that art and stories can take many forms, as long as the creator’s heart and vision remain intact.
Released in spring 2025, the “Ripaus Taikapölyä – A Puff Of Magic Fairy Dust” collection brought Pomenia’s aesthetic to an independent design brand for the first time, which is now being expanded into licensing collaborations and interior design projects.
“There can never be too much fairy tales, adventure, magic – or fairy dust in the world. This fabric collection is an invitation to stop and see the world differently – as if for the first time. Each pattern has been designed to evoke memories of a time when everything was still possible. And perhaps even more importantly – dreams that you haven’t even dared to think about yet.” – Petronella Grahn
Watch the collection review video: Ripaus Taikapölyä – Design Collection 2025
In 2025, Petronella Grahn signed a cooperation agreement with BAFTA-award-winning Studio Liddell (UK).
The aim of the cooperation is to develop the world of Pomenia and Pikku Kettu, created by Grahn, into an international animated series and audiovisual IP entity.
Grahn is responsible for creating the story world, visual aesthetics, and content concept for Pomenia and Pikku Kettu.
Studio Liddell is responsible for the production of the animated series and international audiovisual development work.
This collaboration will bring Finnish fairy tale art and the world of Pomenia to an international audience – where it belongs.
👉 download : Petronella-Grahn-and-Studio-Liddell-Yhteistyo 11.11.2025
"The fantasy worlds created by authors are incredibly important to me. They are not just pictures or words on the pages of storybooks, but a gateway to a world of imagination and adventure that is open to everyone."
This work, or should I say calling, is not about technique or training, even though every line, detail, and whole has been carefully considered.
It’s about touching, moving, and recalling moments when everything was possible—and awakening dreams that you haven’t even dared to think about yet. Because, my friend, life without dreams would be… just a story without magic.
I believe that fairy tales can change the world – one story, one child, one beating heart, and one moment at a time. Pomenia’s stories are like a mirror that reflects something from the past that has already been forgotten, something from the present moment – and much of what could still be.
With the power of imagination and fairy tales, we travel to a time and place where dreams come true and every moment is full of surprises, magic, and hope.
