Built by a father. Carried forward by his son. For Osborne's 50th anniversary, I created a drawing that brought together the company's story, the people behind it, and a love of aviation that stretches across generations. Every major detail is shaped from handwritten OSBORNE and 50.
Built by his father. Carried forward by his son.
David F. Osborne founded The Osborne Company in Kansas in 1976. Stephen Osborne later acquired the business and expanded it beyond its original regional footprint. Today, the company works across construction, building maintenance and electric vehicle infrastructure.
When I began thinking about a drawing to mark fifty years, I kept coming back to what that history represents. A business can be measured in years and projects, but its story is also about the people who started it and the people who carry it forward. I wanted the artwork to honor both generations.
Where aviation enters the picture.
Stephen's connection to flying began alongside his father. As a child, he accompanied David on business trips, spending hours in the right seat and watching him navigate between jobs. Over time, that shared experience became Stephen's own passion for aviation.
Two Piper Comanches fly above the construction scene in this piece, a detail that carries a very personal meaning. David flew a Piper PA-24-260, while Stephen later owned a PA-24-400 Comanche 400. The aircraft represent not simply two airplanes, but a connection between father and son that continued beyond the family business.
As a pilot myself, I particularly loved bringing that part of their story into the composition.
Every object has a reason to be there.
The two hard hats represent David and Stephen, positioned in front of a construction site. A blueprint bearing the Osborne name, along with a ruler and pen, adds another layer of meaning: the planning, craftsmanship and day-to-day work behind the business. Above it all, the two Comanches connect Osborne's work on the ground with the family's history in the air.
Rather than create a traditional anniversary logo or illustration, I wanted these details to come together naturally—something that could be appreciated as a single drawing and then explored more closely.
Look closer. The story is in the handwriting.
From a distance, the drawing reads as a construction and aviation scene. Up close, the shading and contours reveal thousands of handwritten OSBORNE and 50 marks. The company name and anniversary milestone aren't just a caption beneath the image; they're literally what the image is made of.
Soft watercolor adds color without hiding the handwritten structure of the original.
A milestone worth remembering.
Seeing the finished piece framed, with an airplane in the background, felt like a fitting conclusion to a commission that connected construction, family and flight.
This is the kind of work I love creating: artwork that preserves the details of a particular story, whether it's a family business celebrating an anniversary or an individual marking a personal milestone.
Background on the company and the family's aviation history: The Osborne Company · Twin & Turbine, “Borne to Fly”