By Melissa Knific
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Free-lance illustrator John Maggard proves the sky's the limit with this year's Humana Heart Mini-Marathon poster.

"The whole idea of a poster is to grab your eyeballs," says Mr. Maggard, who will unveil the 26th edition of the collectible poster today.

He describes this year's design as "whimsical." It encompasses an aerial view of Greater Cincinnati and includes birds and balsa wood flyers above the city.

He created the design using mixed media, first applying acrylic to establish the basic structure, then working oil over it.

He said inspiration for the poster came when he was having lunch at Lunken Airport and a couple of murals in the Sky Galley Restaurant caught his eye.

Although Mr. Maggard says that he is satisfied with the design, he seems to convey that an artist's work is never done.

"If I still had (the poster) here, I'd still be noodling around with it," he says. "I have trouble knowing when to stop sometimes. It's good to have a deadline."

Mr. Maggard's poster, printed by the Merten Co., will be unveiled at 5:30 p.m. today at Cinergy headquarters, downtown. This is the 23rd year that Mr. Maggard has created a poster for the event. About 3,000 posters are sold each year.

Cost is $10. The poster is for sale at the American Heart Association (281-4048 or www.heartmini.

org) and Bob Roncker's Running Spot in O'Bryonville.

The mini-marathon weekend is March 29-30.