The Artistry and Legacy of A.E. Backus

The Coral Gables Museum presents a lecture examining the life and artistic legacy of Florida painter A.E. “Beanie” Backus. The program explores Backus’s early years in Fort Pierce, his artistic training, and his development as a landscape painter during the early twentieth century, including the challenges he faced during the Great Depression and his period of military service.

The lecture also discusses the period after World War II when Backus expanded beyond the Treasure Coast and developed a presence in Coral Gables, building relationships with collectors and supporters. Among them was the Morris family, whose patronage helped promote and preserve his work.

The program also addresses Backus’s role as a mentor to a group of young African American artists who later became known as the Florida Highwaymen, an important movement in Florida’s art history.

Select works from the Morris Collection will be displayed during the lecture, accompanied by background stories connected to each piece. The Morris Collection also contributed to the 2001 publication Southern Skies, Gentle Breezes: The Artistry of A.E. Backus.