Sherwood Island

As some of you know, I am training for an inline skating half marathon on July 14th.  For safety reasons, I have been doing laps around Sherwood Island State Park and spending a fair amount of time very near the beach.  Here is a commissioned  painting I did last week titled Sherwood Island Grass.

I have spent a lot of time at Sherwood Island since we moved here almost 8 years ago.  Most Westport’s go to Compo Beach which is very lively and populated with the Westport crowd.  I tend to like the peace and solitude of Sherwood Island.  It is an enormous park with walking trails, two beaches, a bird sanctuary, marshlands, woods and it even backs up to the Mill Pond which is one of the more historic areas of Westport.  Every Memorial Day I buy a sticker for my car that takes me through the summer season but in September, they close the booths and anyone can go there for free until they officially open in May.  On summer weekends, it’s filled with large extended families cooking wonderfully ethnic foods and traditional barbecue, (the aromas are heavenly), kids playing and riding bikes, adults playing baseball or soccer on the fields, and lots of sunbathers and swimmers of course.  The also have a lot of charity events there, walks, runs and biking events that start and finish in the park.  The volleyball tournaments are also fun to watch.  During the week the place clears out and the guys who fly the model planes buzz them around in the sky and you see the regulars, like me.  I walk there year round and am always amazed and inspired by its beauty.

This summer I plan to try my hand at some plein air painting so stay tuned and I’ll let you know if I come up with anything. If you get the chance, make a picnic or pick up some take out at Shake Shack and head over to spend a day at the park!  Exit 18 off I 95, it doesn’t get any more convenient than that!