Wargo and Jette

Tropical Vibes is a commissioned mural by Andrew Wargo and Keith Jette, two artists deeply enmeshed in the local Destin-Fort Walton community. Wargo, a self-taught painter and muralist, has been a juried artist at the Mattie Kelly Art Foundation’s Destin Festival of the Arts for several years running. Keith Jette owns Wicked Paint in Fort Walton Beach and was featured on Skin Wars, a national television show, when his art caught the producers’ attention.

In Wargo and Jette’s Tropical Vibes, oversized flamingos stand in the foreground, contentedly wading through translucent turquoise waters. Using a mix of airbrush and traditional brush painting techniques, the graceful Florida birds are rendered in a playful palette of sunny yellow, sherbet orange, lime green, sky blue, hot pink, and other radiant colors. Appearing to smile knowingly, with drops of water drifting lazily from their feathers, the flamingos capture the allure of the Sunshine State and its sparkling Emerald Coast.

It’s little wonder that visitors to Destin Commons are so drawn to the mural—a favorite background for selfies and Insta-worthy pictures. After all, “tropical vibes” is the essence of Florida’s special charm.