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Art from the heart

Todd Walkingstick, art, blooming prairie, basketball
Owatonna’s Todd Walkingstick poses with his drawing of the Blooming Prairie boys basketball team. Walkingstick has loved drawing all his life, and has recently shifted his creative focus to highlighting local sporting teams and moments. Staff photo by Johnnie Phillips
By
Johnnie Phillips, Sports Editor

It’s no secret that Owatonna's Todd Walkingstick loves sports – he’s been on air interviewing local athletes and covering games for decades, highlighting the area’s host of talented athletes.

However, as of recently, he’s gained more traction for reviving a hobby he’s had since his youth: Hist artwork.

“I’ve been drawing since I was in elementary school. I had a friend and we’d just grab some paper and pencils and draw for hours. It started with animals, like lions and tigers, but I always loved sports, so it kind of changed in that direction,” said Walkingstick.

Walkginstick’s first big project in his artwork draws back to Feb. 17, 2006, when he began working on completing all 331 NCAA Division One logos.

He started with the famous Duke Blue Devils’ logo and finished over two years later on Feb. 22, 2008, with the University of California-Riverside Highlanders.

Over the course of his works, Walkingstick has completed other large-volume projects such as completing logos for all 32 NFL teams, as well as annually drawing the NCAA Final Four logo and all of Minnesota’s major sports teams.

Nowadays, the love of drawing lies more in recreating moments from local sporting events.

“I love going to games and bringing my phone to take pictures. I’m looking for those big moments to be able to take a picture and then draw it. I’ll get home, and hold my phone in my right hand, and draw with my left,” said Walkingstick on his process.

Most recently, Walkingstick has been enjoying drawing pictures for Blooming Prairie boys’ basketball after their section title game run.

According to Walkingstick, the pictures have been well-received by athletes, coaches and fans alike, with some even reaching out to see if he could draw them.

“I just did one for Donoven Sorenson. He reached out with a photo and asked if I could draw it, so I did,” said Walkingstick.

According to him, the artwork is something that he does purely for the love of drawing.

“I just love it. I know most of these drawings will end up in a binder somewhere on a shelf, rarely to be opened, but I love the process and sending them out on Facebook. It’s been fun to see how people have responded,” he said.

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