Bad Habits Lounge Studio

Larry Beat hails from Toledo, Ohio but has called the Emerald Coast Florida his home for 33 years. He retired after 20 years in the Air Force in 1997. He worked for the City of Destin for 13 years retiring in 2015. His photos were periodically published in The Destin Log and the NW Florida Daily News. He also photographed for the Greater Fort Walton Chamber of Commerce. His photos have been featured in the Mattie Kelly Environmental Institute’s calendar.

Larry has been an artist for over 60 years, starting his artistic ambitions as an 10-year-old attending Saturday morning art classes at the Toledo Museum of Art during a 4-year span. Later, at the University of Toledo, he continued art studies as well as French literature. He completed a BA in French at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) in 1984. After two summers traveling around France and Europe, Beat joined the Air Force and became captivated by many exotic cultures. During his 20-year career he was stationed in Germany, Las Vegas, the Philippines, Korea, and Thailand. He retired at Hurlburt Field in 1997.

The name of his studio, the Bad Habits Lounge, was borrowed from a dusty, old honky-tonk GI tavern near Clark Air Base, Angeles City, Philippines.

Larry works tirelessly to capture the best of what the Emerald Coast has to offer, focusing the imagery through the lens of his unique perspective to create surreal, pop art inspired prints that never fail to turn people’s heads. The high-contrast and bright colors in Larry’s digitally manipulated images provide a fascinating outlook on the people, places and wildlife he most admires about the Fort Walton Beach and Destin area. His images grab your attention and oblige you to ask, “What am I really seeing here?” When you figure it out, you have to smile, because in catching a glimpse of what Larry Beat sees, you gain a new appreciation for things you might otherwise take for granted.

Larry has been an enthusiastic participant in downtown Fort Walton Beach artistic events and activities.

His works are currently for sale in downtown Fort Walton Beach at Maas Coffee Roasters, 150 Miracle Strip Pkwy.