Love is said to fill the air on Valentine's Day, but tomorrow one Hamilton restaurant will be filled with balloons.

Ohio resident Mike Wesley - a balloon artiste - has arrived on the Island with his wife Kathy, a suitcase full of multicoloured balloons, and a mission.

And tomorrow he will decorate the Porch restaurant on Front Street with dozens of ballon creations for the expected onslaught of lovers. Those celebrating Valentine's Day at the restaurant will find it filled with pink, red and white twisted balloons in the shape of hearts along with heart shaped table-toppers and a hanging display of butterflies.

Bermuda is an “under-ballooned” area, according to Mr. Wesley, who is visiting the Island for the fourth time.

His wife is the inspiration behind his creations and he hopes his work will inspire Bermudians to embrace balloon art.

“I've been to Bermuda before and I would make some of the smallest things that would absolutely astonish people” Mr. Wesley said, while twisting a blue balloon into a little mouse with an extraordinarily long tail. “This is an under-ballooned area.”

Putting the finishing touches on a flower vine that snaked up one bar post yesterday, Mr. Wesley pointed out his favourite creation - a pair of love birds sitting inside a large heart.

“I also plan to have a large heart, here, in the entranceway for people to walk through,” he said.

A postman from Newark, Ohio, Mr. Wesley became fascinated with balloon art 17 years ago.

He has a real passion for cracking jokes and handing out his balloon art to people he meets.

“I'll have balloons on me at the grocery store or I will leave one for a waitress. I'll do it when someone isn't smiling as much as they should,” he said.

This will be his first attempt at decorating an entire space, however.

“No one has ever had the courage to give me this much space,” he said.

Mr. Wesley's wife of 30 years keeps an unusual picture of him in her wallet.

“The picture I carry in my wallet is Mike with a chicken that he made for his head. I show that picture to people and I have to explain: ‘This is my husband, he's a little strange.'”