Kevin Cannon is a Minnesota cartoonist and illustrator who is best known for his detailed cartoon maps in the Star Tribune as well as his humorous all-ages graphic novel, The Cartoon Introduction t...view moreKevin Cannon is a Minnesota cartoonist and illustrator who is best known for his detailed cartoon maps in the Star Tribune as well as his humorous all-ages graphic novel, The Cartoon Introduction to Philosophy.
Born and raised in St. Louis Park, Cannon's art career began at a very early age, drawing with Mr. Sketch markers on scraps of foam core from his uncle's photography studio. He went on to study studio art at Grinnell College in Iowa, and resettled in Minneapolis after short stints living in London and Manhattan.
In 2004 Cannon co-founded Big Time Attic studio with Zander Cannon (no relation) and Shadi Petosky. The trio tackled a wide range of projects -- like animating online games for Cartoon Network and designing the Eau Claire-based family fun center Action City -- before each artist went their separate way.
Cannon focused his career on cartooning, writing and illustrating the arctic adventure graphic novels Far Arden and Crater XV, the former garnering an Eisner nomination (the comic world's equivalent of an Oscar). The last decade has found him splitting his time between drawing childrens books and creating illustrations for clients like Apple, Harvard, and the US Naval Academy, and publications like The Village Voice, Minnesota Monthly, and Mpls St. Paul Magazine.
Likes include camping, goofing around with his toddler, and listening to any song made with a Hammond organ. His only dislikes are writing in the third person and posing for headshots.
Cannon lives in Mounds View with his wife, Maggie, their son, Ulysses, and cat, Cottleston Pie.view less