Artists Fred and Taya Conlon met in college – but followed their hearts after graduation to an Army Navy Surplus Store, “The first time we saw a mass pile of helmets, the gears started really moving in our heads,” Taya said.

Now they use those gears and a welder to make metal come to life.

“The alligator is definitely going to rust so I would not put him in the pool,” she said.

Conlon tells KSAL News that the hours of searching for just the right scrap pieces to melt together for their skeleton was a labor of love.

Placing the whip into a metal skeleton’s hand she said, “Some parts are identifiable, some aren’t.

“I like that he has salad tongs for wings on his head!”

The Conlons are based in Salt Lake City, Utah and sell their creatures at art shows around the country, “This is our third year in Salina, and we love it here ,” she said. From frogs, to tanks to a life size skeleton, the two are taking scrap and turning it into treasures.

The Festival Jam kicked off the four day festival last night, the party in the park wraps up Sunday afternoon.