By Kerri Williams

WESTPORT — It was cold with a coating of snow on the ground Monday morning at Grace K. Salmon Park. A few hardy residents walked their dogs. 

Then a harbinger of spring arrived.

The sculpture “Tulip Bulb,” by Emily Teall, was transported from Norwalk by a flat-bed truck to its new home for the next five years. Planning for the sculpture’s installation was a project overseen by the Westport Arts Advisory Committee. The sculpture had previously been on view at Norwalk Art Space. The installation process was carried out by contractor Mariano Bros. of Bethel.

The sculpture, produced from naturalized steel, “pairs so nicely with the landscape” at the park, said Kathleen Bennewitz, town curator. She added that the backdrop of the snow set it off particularly well. The piece is 8 feet high by 6 feet wide.

During the installation process, several people walking dogs stopped to appreciate the new artwork, according to Bennewitz. A formal dedication will take place on a date to be announced.

The sculpture is one of three approved last October for installation in town parks by the Parks and Recreation Commission. The artist gets a stipend for each year that the work is displayed in a town park.

Kerri Williams is a freelance writer who has worked in journalism for years, including as a reporter for the Norwalk Hour and managing editor of the Norwalk Citizen-News.