LINCOLN - “When it snows, it’s magical,” said Julie Bernson, deputy director for learning and engagement at the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum in Lincoln. We were looking out at a picturesque wintry landscape: rolling hills covered in snowy meringue and flanked by frosty woodlands. But this winter scene was even more dramatic than most: rising from the white-blanketed countryside were colorful, whimsical sculptures. “It’s beautiful all year-round, but in winter, you can see sculptures you don’t necessarily notice in the leafy fullness of summer,” Bernson said.

In the distance we saw a small group of children and adults snowshoeing across the hill, making tracks in the freshly fallen snow. Young children bounded ahead of the group as they made their way to Jim Dine’s “Two Big Black Hearts” sculpture. The giant bronze, all the more striking against the stark white backdrop, is one of about 65 sculptures on display at the deCordova’s 35-acre campus of lawns, forests, and fields along the shore of Flint’s Pond. The group moved in for a closer look to see casts of objects, like seashells and tools, and the handprints of the artist, imprinted on the hearts. Before long, they were on the move again, heading across the field for another close-up look at the next sculpture.