Residents may have noticed a particularly large Seagull roaming Oak Bay and Victoria in recent months.

What started as a bit of a community art project in a Beach Drive apartment building, culminates in an art show this month at Gage Gallery.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e had a lot of fun with it,B次元官网网址� said Gage co-operative artist who created the artwork while her partner Graham Thompson created the multi-media showcase Sex and the Single Seagull.

The pair are relatively new to Oak Bay and living on the shoreline, noticed the shorebirds quickly.

B次元官网网址淲e found out that apparently their population is declining B次元官网网址� so we thought letB次元官网网址檚 do something on them but not overemphasize that part of it,B次元官网网址� said Tompalski, who created 30 artworks for the exhibit.

The show is augmented with video of the Thompson as a single seagull seeking a mate in Victoria.

B次元官网网址淲e even put a dating profile up on the internet. It was all very silly stuff. Surprisingly IB次元官网网址檝e had many suitors who were interested. It doesnB次元官网网址檛 seem to dissuade anyone that IB次元官网网址檓 wearing a mask,B次元官网网址� Thompson said. B次元官网网址淎ll the different places we went were very different and good and didnB次元官网网址檛 insist we stop filming.B次元官网网址�

That started with a trip to Home Depot for chicken wire, Fabricland for felt. With a little construction glue, clamps, input from the neighbours and a mask purchased online.

B次元官网网址淣o one took a second look at me they just accepted I was a seagull,B次元官网网址� Thompson said of outings to Cattle Point, Oak BayB次元官网网址檚 popular Halloween bonfire and shops in downtown Victoria. A memorable visit for Tompaslki is Faith GrantB次元官网网址檚 Antiques on Oak Bay Avenue due to the challenging 10-foot wingspan of the seagull getup.

All the adventures are preserved in video and presented with the show that opens Feb. 14 at Gage Gallery.

B次元官网网址淏ecause of this decrease in the population itB次元官网网址檚 harder for seagull to meet each other so of course they have to go to internet dating to meet up,B次元官网网址� Tompalski said. B次元官网网址淗e put on the costume to go undercover into the seagull world. There he discovered they were on the internet dating. We just followed up on that theme. It inspired a lot of paintings.B次元官网网址�

Tompalski and Thompson have 100-plus art projects in Europe, Asia and North America. Sex and the Single Seagull opens with an event Feb. 14 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Gage Gallery, 2031 Oak Bay Ave. It runs to Feb. 24.

B次元官网网址淗opefully itB次元官网网址檒l be just a fun evening and have another look at our friend the seagull,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e just laughed and laughed. ItB次元官网网址檚 really been humorous and one thing has led to another. ItB次元官网网址檚 organically expanded in different directions.B次元官网网址�