Rewind: A Conversation with Deborah McMahon Osterholtz, daughter of Franklin McMahon, ‘The Artist Who Drew the News’

Recorded live April 27, 2025

In this Artist Talk, On the Spot editor Gabriel Campanario converses with Deborah McMahon Osterholtz, daughter of the late Franklin McMahon, a Chicago artist whose extraordinary career as an artist-reporter broke new ground in the world of commercial illustration.

The conversation centered around three articles Franklin McMahon published in Sports Illustrated and Fortune magazine in the early 1960s. How did he manage to get published in such high-profile magazines? How did he get access to the events he covered? Is McMahon’s on-location approach to illustrating news-worthy topics feasible today?

Whether you are seeking to follow in the footsteps of McMahon’s career or just looking for inspiration, this Artist Talk will challenge the way you apply your drawing skills.

Here’s a look at the editorial articles discussed during the talk.

Fortune Magazine, March 1962

Europe’s Surge of Unity.
McMahon spent three weeks documenting the emergence of the European trade alliance first known as the European Common Market.

Sports Illustrated, Nov. 27, 1961

A River Town Stirs to the Sound of Wings.
McMahon travelled to Cairo, Illinois, to capture the scene during geese hunting season.

Sports Illustrated, February 3, 1964

A Race Can Be a Cruise.
McMahon sailed from San Diego to Acapulco to document a unique boating event.