Annette Hammer has been painting for over 30 years. What started out as a one time need for a wall painting became a passion to create within the medium of oils, and later, acrylics and watercolor. Her first art instruction for many years was with Jay Mittel in Santa Monica. Later, several years of study with some of the best Ventura County artists at Ventura College led to the desire to complete an arts degree. Ms. Hammer graduated Magna Cum Laude from USC with a BFA in Fine Arts. Study has also been accomplished through Associates In Art and the California Art Institute. Ms. Hammer also has an A.S. degree in Commercial Art and an A.A degree in Photography from Ventura College.

Ms. Hammer was commissioned in June 2000 to do a 6 foot by 9 foot mural for the Wrigley Marine Institute through USC. The mural is displayed at the outdoor touch tanks at the Wrigley Marine Institute learning center at Two Harbors, Catalina Island. A grant from USC was awarded to complete the project.

Many awards have been won, notably the Beverly Hills Affaire in the Gardens Art Show - First Place in painting; at the Santa Monica Sports & Ars Festival - Best of Show two years in a row, also winning the special Seascape Award; a Best of Show at the Ventura County Fair in Photography; and ADDY Awards for Professional Illlustration through the Ventura County Ad Club.

Exhibits have included being one of the first artists to be invited to have a solo exhibit as part of the Carnegie Art Museum "Masters in Our Midst" series in 1995. A solo show in April 2000 was held in the USC Helen Lindhurst Fine Arts Gallery. Several shows have been staged at the Ventura County National Bank, the Buenaventura Art Association Gallery and Ventura College.
Ms. Hammer was juried into the Ophelia Gallery show in 2002 entitiled "Women's Work".

Ms. Hammer has worked as a background artist, layout artist, and storyboard cleanup artist at Nickelodeon Animation Studio on the animated shows Hey Arnold, Spongebob Squarepants, and Catdog. Several scenery backdrops and murals for theatrical productions have also been designed and painted.