For a long time, cartoonist and illustrator Kevin Cannon said, he didn't have a distinctive style. He was too busy drawing things exactly the way customers wanted.
But along the way, perhaps when he started working on graphic novels, Cannon developed the clean, simple style that prompted the folks at the Minnesota State Fair to choose him to illustrate their 2021 map. And, from that, the 2022 St. Paul Winter Carnival buttons.
A style all his own is a good thing, said Cannon, 42, especially when you're expected to create a design unlike anything the Carnival has seen in its 135 previous iterations.
In a recent interview, Cannon talked about the evolution of his art, how becoming a new dad prompted him to find steadier work and the privilege of carrying on a historic tradition. This interview was edited for length.
Q: When did you start as an artist?
A: I've been drawing since I was 3 years old. But probably it was in high school [at Breck School in Golden Valley] when teachers started asking me to design sports T-shirts and program covers and theater posters. I thought I was just trying to be helpful, but I was learning how to interact with critical eyes at the time. I've just kind of loved that life ever since.
Q: Did you always have this style?
A: No. A lot of artists focus on their own style, but I have loved being a freelance cartoonist and artist and because clients from all over asked me to do completely varied things — like the State Fair map or, years ago, when I helped design a family fun center — it forced me to learn new things and work from a new perspective on every project.
