During the pandemic, Westport-based artist Michael Walden was looking to stray away from his typical work through abstracts and instead find a way to explore the stillness in life.

To do this, he asked Carl Martone, his personal trainer at Healthtrax Fitness & Wellness on Faunce Corner Road, if he wanted to pose for some photos with his colorful sneakers that he would then paint. 

Immediately, Martone was on board.

“He really got into posing for [the paintings] and it kept inspiring more explorations of the things he brought,” Walden said. “It just sort of exploded from there.”

Now those portraits of Martone, along with some of Walden’s other works, are on display inside the Olde Southworth Library through the end of the month.

“I was a little anxious at first to see how they would look in this space,” Walden said. “But the Cultural Center did a really excellent job with the display — it turned out so well.”

The Westport resident holds Master’s of Fine Arts degrees from Boston University and Massachusetts College of Arts and has completed artist residencies at Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, the Vermont Studio Center, and on Cuttyhunk Island.

Prior to becoming a professional painter, Walden taught art in Worcester’s public schools for around 20 years. After moving to the South Coast in 2014, Walden decided that he wanted to focus more on bettering his skills and study more artistic styles.

“That and the commutes were like three hours a day,” he said with a laugh. “When there was an opportunity to stop doing that, I was excited.”

Much of Walden’s work is typically abstract, with everyday objects and settings slightly distorted through his use of thin layers of oil paint. 

It’s that process that Walden most enjoys about his craft.

“The fun is creating crazy things happening on a space,” he said.

Since making art his full time career, Walden’s work has been displayed across the country and around the world — with his series on Martone recently being shown at the Prince Street Gallery in New York City.

“It was such a cool experience,” Martone said. “I’m really hoping to do more of them.”

He added that he would also be willing to model again for Walden, saying that it was an experience he greatly appreciated.

“It was really interesting to see someone else’s perspective of me,” Martone said.

The exhibition runs through April 30. Hours are 11 a.m. through 3 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. There will also be an artist talk with Walden on April 23 at 2 p.m.