Meet An Artist: Lloyd Pecoo

In a small corner of St. Pete Beach, nestled nest to the volleyball courts behind the Undertow Beach Bar on Gulf Boulevard, works artist Lloyd Pecoo.

Pecoo's tent is covered with hundreds of colorful vistas of palm trees and sunsets. It has become his erstwhile gallery. His works are mainly brightly decorated paintings, ceramics and bottles. They are all with a distinctly African and Caribbean theme.

Pecoo paints every work of art himself, mostly while sitting on a well-worn easel that sits the shade of the Undertow's tiki bar. If he is not painting, Pecoo relaxes in front the tent, adding to the festive tropical atmosphere by playing the bongos.  

"I have been here on the beach for two years," the Jamaican native says. "Business has been very good."

Most of Pecoo's customers are patrons of the Undertow, the Gulf Boulevard hangout popular with the frat-boy crowd. He does get the occasional tourist from the nearby Don Cesar, usually looking for genuine tropical art.

"The weekends are the best," Pecoo says. It is when he gets the most traffic.

One thing is for sure, you cannot get any more authentically "tropical" than Pecoo. While you are enjoying a cold one the Undertow, check out Pecoo and his gallery.

Lloyd Pecoo's "gallery" is at the Undertow Beach Bar, 3850 Gulf Boulevard, St. Pete Beach.