This oil painting is a work of art done by artist Rufino Tamayo in 1959. He lived primarily in Mexico City. Some of his paintings, like this one, were based on Mexican art and culture. The main focus of this painting is the three children sitting in a circle.

What do you see?

If you look closely at this painting, you will see the three – dimensional objects in the shapes of bodies. The lighter shade of paint contrasts the background color. You can see the forms of the lines create figures. You can make out the heads and what looks like the outlines of bodies. Also, the way each figure flows into the other with the whisking of paint and senses a closeness. Vivid rustic colors are used with a slight touch of blue. If you focus on the blending of the reds, you can make out shapes floating around the painting, as well as running through their bodies. This is an abstract art piece, which signifies that most abstract paintings are usually nonrepresentational. Here we can observe the distinct colors running through this painting, creating a warm feeling. A mix of blended reds, the light colors stand out, so your focus is on the shapes of bodies. The brushwork of this painting creates a circular motion between them; as if they are all connected in some form. Because oil paint can be put on in different layers, it can create an exquisitely finished piece. If you study the painting, you can also visualize the distinct layering. Some of the underlying colors show. The vibrant colors of this painting focus on the illuminated lighter shades, I feel the lines flow carefree and want to portray a meaning of in the middle allowing for attention to the drawn to the figures. This artist seems to want you to be able to use your imagination in deciding what you think is happening in this painting. To me, it conveys family, warmth, and fun. I say fun due to the dancing of shapes, warmth from the colors and family from the figures, not very detailed but still there.

Marathon runner turns routes into art. Lenny Maughan put the “work” in work of art. This design of a famous Mexican painter, artist Frida Kahlo was one of Maughan’s most extended running creations mapping out at 28.9 miles, taking him a total of 6 hours to complete.

Do you love to run? Want to be genuinely Inspired? One man can create a work of art by running!

“This is just a way to make the streets my own.” (Maughan)

Lenny Maughan has been an avid runner throughout his life. He lives in San Francisco and has run many marathons. A few years ago, he decided to turn his running routes into masterpieces. While most marathon runners, or runners in general, are focused on miles and time, he now focuses more on the shapes of his next piece of art. An average piece is about 20 miles but can be as long as 40, and he is particular about making sure each design is precise. Before a run, he strategically maps out his route and envisions the next plan. What is exciting is he can’t see the course until he uses a running app called Strava. In other words, he cant view his next amazing creation until he runs the route and can view the map. He takes his time to sketch out each drawing carefully. He knows the streets of San Fransisco very well. This allows him to use the lines of the shapes to match the actual streets he is routing. Artist Frida Kahlo’s work stood out to me due to the detail involved. I love how he was able to create a portrait of this artist on foot. What appeals to me most about the art is the heart and dedication that is put into this design. The details that have to be mapped out from her eyes to her lips are so precise.

I am a runner, not a distance runner like this athlete is. My goal in life is to run a marathon. I am still working myself up to that and have a long way to go. This is a man with a real passion for running and art. Running itself is not an easy sport, then to add an artistic ability to it takes time and effort. I chose this work of art because, I too have a passion for running. While most runners, including myself take in the different scenery around them on the runs, Maughan uses artistic form when shaping out this design and creating his own scenery. This running portrait can be what is known as a “sense of participation” when it comes to focusing on this picture, its significance represents a challenge San Fransisco has many hills and this can mean he has to work harder to get the job done. I relate to this in every aspect of life, with running, school, and raising my family.

“San Francisco is my canvas.” (Maughan)

This work of art instills a sense of accomplishment. Lenny Maughan is now famous for this most recent piece. Growing up, everyone thought he was going to become an “artist.” While, not your “typical ” artist, sitting at a desk or painting at an easel, he utilizes his abilities to portray works of art by running. He has created many artistic designs over the past four years, but this piece seems to have been the most challenging. The theme for this piece to me depicts exposer..just like this famous Mexican painter who wanted to be known and seen, creating self-portraits. She was known for outlining her prominent physical features. The unibrow is a prime example, and he nailed this on his route. Maughan created many running portraits; however, this one was on another level of artistry. I feel he wanted to be taken more seriously to show what he is capable of in the world of art.

Be yourself; Everyone else is already taken.

— Oscar Wilde.

This is the first post on my new blog. I’m just getting this new blog going, so stay tuned for more. Subscribe below to get notified when I post new updates.

This is an example post, originally published as part of Blogging University. Enroll in one of our ten programs, and start your blog right.

You’re going to publish a post today. Don’t worry about how your blog looks. Don’t worry if you haven’t given it a name yet, or you’re feeling overwhelmed. Just click the “New Post” button, and tell us why you’re here.

Why do this?

• Because it gives new readers context. What are you about? Why should they read your blog?
• Because it will help you focus you own ideas about your blog and what you’d like to do with it.

The post can be short or long, a personal intro to your life or a bloggy mission statement, a manifesto for the future or a simple outline of your the types of things you hope to publish.

To help you get started, here are a few questions:

• Why are you blogging publicly, rather than keeping a personal journal?
• What topics do you think you’ll write about?
• Who would you love to connect with via your blog?
• If you blog successfully throughout the next year, what would you hope to have accomplished?

You’re not locked into any of this; one of the wonderful things about blogs is how they constantly evolve as we learn, grow, and interact with one another — but it’s good to know where and why you started, and articulating your goals may just give you a few other post ideas.

Can’t think how to get started? Just write the first thing that pops into your head. Anne Lamott, author of a book on writing we love, says that you need to give yourself permission to write a “crappy first draft”. Anne makes a great point — just start writing, and worry about editing it later.

When you’re ready to publish, give your post three to five tags that describe your blog’s focus — writing, photography, fiction, parenting, food, cars, movies, sports, whatever. These tags will help others who care about your topics find you in the Reader. Make sure one of the tags is “zerotohero,” so other new bloggers can find you, too.