Artist Statement
Annette uses drawing and painting to explore relationships between humans and nature. Her works utilize dramatic tone and color to express connections that are familiar, such as the parent-child relationship and humanity’s relationship with animals. She enjoys using multiple media to produce works of both realism and whimsy.
Annette Zimmerman, aka Anni Z, enjoys creating through art and prose. Born amongst corn fields in the Midwest U.S., she’s also lived on an island off the East Coast as well as in the Central Valley of the West Coast. After traveling across the United States, she and her husband decided East Tennessee was the most beautiful place to live and promptly moved there.
Although she holds a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering, Annette’s engineering career ended with an early retirement. In 2021 she was diagnosed with cancer, followed by extensive surgery and chemotherapy. She is now happily enjoying life in remission.
Annette spends her days creating artwork, making videos, writing, knitting, and hiking. She also enjoys community work and traveling whenever she gets the opportunity. Her passion for helping others discover creative ways to find meaning and purpose in life is the motivation behind her YouTube channel, Living an Artist’s Life. Her philosophy of “live life in the moment” inspires the exploration of various art media and techniques as reflected in her portfolio.