MARBLEHEAD, MASS. (WHDH) - Architect Tom Saltsman has put his special set of skills to work each Halloween to dress up the garage at his Marblehead home in larger-than-life costumes.
This year’s installation? A massive, moving hermit crab.
“When I was a kid, I loved the pools and hermit crabs in particular,” Saltsman said. “I thought this would be a good year to do a giant hermit crab.”
Saltsman said his expertise in building has helped him turn plywood and Styrofoam into the huge marine creature.
“I have a background in theater arts and I am an architect and a builder – this is right in our wheelhouse,” he said. “I do dig around for some materials so I can make this out of lots of found pieces and parts. It is an exploration of making things and seeing if you can bring your ideas to life.”
In the past Saltsman has built a forest troll, a pirate ship, a dragon, and a gorilla.
The hermit crab took two months for the hermit crab to come to life; Saltsman said everyone’s excitement makes all the hard work worth it.
“I am thrilled at how much people love it,” he said. “It is a ton of work so I can definitely say I enjoy doing this for people and seeing their reaction.”
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