St. Lucie News Tribune from Fort Pierce, Florida • 48

E6 The Tribune Sunday June 10 1990 Backus Ahnanac Late artist did not want funeral told friends he wanted memorial donations sent to the Fort Fierce Arts League Inc the volunteer group that manages the gallery The address for the arts league is care of Rick Lynch treasurer 606 Boston Ave Fort Fierce In 1977 James Earl Ray the convicted assassin of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr escaped from Brushy Mountain State Prison in Tennessee with six others Ray was recaptured June 12 In 1972 Affirmed ridden by Steve Cauthen won the Belmont Stakes and with it horse Triple Crown Ten years ago: The House of Representatives censured California Democrat Charles Wilson for violating House rules saying he had converted campaign fends to his own use and accepted money from a man with a direct interest in legislation before Congress Five years ago: Socialite Claus von Bulow was acquitted by a jury hi Providence RI in hia retrial on charges tried to murder hia heiress wife Martha von Bulow One year ago: Easy Goer won the Belmont Stakes in New York denying the Triple Crown to Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Birthdays: Prince Philip ia 69 Columnist Nat Hentoff is 65 Author Maurice Sen-dak is 62 Attorney Lee Bailey is 57 Thought for Today: is just as hard to do your duty when men are sneering at you aa when they are shooting at President Woodrow Wilson (1866-1924) THIASSOCMTIOmM Today is Sunday June 10 the 161st day of 1990 There are 204 days left in the year Highlight in History: Fifty years ago on June 10 1940 Italy declared war on France and Britain the same day Canada declared war on Italy On this date: In 1801 the North African state of Tripoli declared war on the United States in a dispute over safe passage of merchant vessels through the Mediterranean In 1865 the opera "Tristan und by Richard Wagner premiered in Munich Germany In 1922 singer-actress Judy Garland was born Frances Gumm in Grand Rapids Minn In 1985 Alcoholics Anonymous was founded in Akron Ohio by William Wilson and Dr Robert Smith In 1942 the Gestapo massacred 173 male residents of Lidice Czechoslovakia in retaliation for the killing of a Nazi official In 1946 Italy replaced its abolished monarchy with a republic In 1964 the UJ3 Senate voted to limit ferther debate on a proposed civil rights bill shutting off a filibuster by Southern states In 1967 the Six-Day War ended as Israel and Syria agreed to observe a United Nationa-mediated cease-fire the sound of rain That more colorful than Unusual Works HB Moore stared at a Backus print titled "A It depicts a nude woman floating in a cloud of amdke coming from an opium pipe held by a sleeping Chinaman- Joe Jennings commissioned Backus to paint it in 1950 the year Backus married Patricia Nell Hutchinson hia only wife "Backus paint Moore said in disbelief "Oh yes he said Moore's wife Gloria Bob Terry Sr the man who started the Sun BankTreasure Coast NA Backus art collection back in 1935 ngihM his unusual 4-by-6-foot Backus painting He commissioned Backus to paint a background for a large mmmtori saQfiBh The aaOfiah attached to the background appears to be leaping from the ocean in the wake of a fishing boat named Tit sailfish was the logo of Sun Terry said Living Legacy Architect Bob Teny Jr designed plans for a new wing on the gallery to house a permanent collection of Badma paintings and an art ence library He waa prepared to make a statement at the gathering Hie younger Teny reached into hia shit pocket and pulled out a 3-by-5-inch card on-which he had written: "Badma is dead Rubbish He taught yon to see beauty seek tolerance search for truth love and epjqy your 1 party -in the Badma studio and people parents and children primarily farmer and current Backus Brats would file through the in the third-floor attic The Badma Halloween party was an eagerly anticipated event with people coming from as far away as the Keys Tallahassee and Atlanta The parties for 15 years wore timed ao that Wayne Shank and his brother Ron the first man to run for Miss Florida State University they canceled the con- test after that would be sure to participate aa ghouls in the himitfi hffllBft "At the last Halloween aaya Joan Dale Brown "some of the kids were going to Indian River Community CbUege and they put the word cnxL The police figured we had 2000 Idda come through the attic The police got two about noise after 10 The police said not going to break up the party What would we do with 2000 kids roaming all over the First Love Longtime Badma friend Fete Peterson attended the wake with his wife Olive author of the biography Backus Florida far as said Peterson "Bean was like a first love always a special place that never leaves your The AE Badma studio was ahvaya filled with the sound of jazz A couple of weeks ago young Danny Holt was finishing a painting of a jazz band with musicians rearranged from an old photograph at the studio Friday night the sound of jazz filled the gallery as local musicians paid tribute to Backus Friends brought food and drink plus Backus paintings prints and memorabilia to fang on the walla for the evening Artist Nan IfiDer pointed to a Backus landscape of palm trees and water what always called a hound a she said "I used to talk with Bon about it Yoq can hear the sound of the water In some of his paintings you can hear Following tbs artist's wishes friends and family did not hold a feneral for AJ2 Backus Mr Backus started tbs Gallery of Fort Fierce now the AJS Badma Art Gallery 80 years ago Before hia death he School of Christianity in Fort Fierce Backus waa not a Christian hut many of hia dose friends felt he adhered to Christian principles better than many professed Christians In 1969 on the editorial page of hia dmrch'a news magazine Pastor LeQy wrote: Here is a man who gives of Urnad of hia time and of Ids love He gives to the rich to the poor and to the in-between who takes in the destitute or homeleaB and takes care of their needs until they are able to stand alone He never knows whether another man ia white black yellow or red He only knows that the man is a person who has the courage to be firm when necessary yet ia always ten-' der understands and loves but rarely passes judgement puts himself last and everyone else ahead who condemns the rigidity of the Scribes and of modem organized religion who am notreligious I Amt rally understand But here ia a man who ia an artist not only ty profession but an artist in living I give thanks that I know such a man and that in the knowing I know a little more about what God really means to friendly Trade -Juan Dale Brown a Tribune photographer and Don identical twin recalls an instance of the legendary Badma generosity Badma paintings at the time of his death ere selling for $10000' 1 can Brown said "the time when an rid friend of moved back to Fort Fierce He had ahvaya wanted a Badma painting but he never could afford it He made east nets and Bean told the guy trade him painting for a cast net He traded a 24-inch-: by-80-inch Badma painting for a $88 cast net" Kathy Piowaty Fredrick says Badma was interested in all young people not just budding artists "When I waa 18" Frederick arid "I cams into the studio carrying The Gripes Of under my arm Bean sawit and asked if it was required reading in school I told him no that I just redly liked Steinbeck I never had an artistic bone hi my body but to Bean loving good literature waa just as important has always told that story every time he introduced me To have impressed Bean with anything about me means ao much to me To me he waa unconditional love and that ia everything" TRADE-IN SALE 30 OFF Suggested Retail Darling trade in your old wig for a beautiful new lightweight 1 oz wig All trade-in wigs will be donated to the LB' 1 Hospice and the American Cancer Society Olive's Wig Shop 1797 14th Ave Vero Beach 569-7011 Open Wednesday-Friday 10-5 Saturday 10-3 From El nu with good advice And I remember he gave me and my brother $20 each mice and told na 'to keep $10 and give the other $10 Backus Brats it The children influenced by Backus over the span of hia lifetime ilwero affectionately called "Backus The children some now in Jtheir 60a and 60s were oat in force Friday night greeting and hugging I'tidi othsp rod FurfiMUHTig Backus Tm anecdotes Backus a widower waa "Unde to a legimi of children He encouraged them to be creative and play If play extended to playing with their food bo be iL Badma loved to code When he -made fish stew he'd save and dry the bones ao visiting children could glue them together and make miniature sculptures "He (Backus) told my kid to make a map of Europe out of hia vegetables instead of eating Mitxi Brown recalled "Don (Brown) waa tdHng the kid to eat them and Bean just started poking around at them saying leta make a map of Pig Roast think the fimniest situation happened in said Dan Brown business manager Jamaicans wen eooldng a whole pig western style and somebody asked Bean because he didn't eat park what would happen if he 'did eat aome of it (keg (Enns) said drink ao much puke it all OUt" Brothers Greg and Michael i Enna now married with children were among the Badma brats who remained dose to the artist mak- -ting frequent visits to Fort Fierce i and hia art studio Michad Enns an artist who now Jives in New York City wanted to express hia feelings about Badma iby writing them down on paper He recalls Badma once said he could imagine nothing dniy then levering of pleasant conversation" Michad Enns aaya that journaL-iat SaDy Latham who in I960 at the age of 68 and Badma had jgreat influence on hia life waa a good friend of mine" Michad wrote "I realized 'about death or someone not being around when she was gone I wish iahe was my age I would have married her Bean is dead too They were the type of people unusual people would want to spend the rest of their lives with Difficult people They taught me there is nothing wane than a pleasant I hope the rest of my life ia not i 'Artist in Living' 4' Greg Enna recalled a tribute to i-Badma written by Charles LeQy a former minister at the Unity SENIOR SERVICES MENU All meak an mned with mSk patty with onion gravy Mashed pnhKnof Gaiden vegetables Whto bread Oatmeal cookies or graham crackare Tuesday Hawntan deed ham Mashed sweet potato Cauliflower medtoy Rol Apple juice Baibecue chicken 1 Baked beans Canota Wheat bread Thursday Moofloofwtth gravy -Maahed potatoes Broccol Whlta bread fHdqr Ham cheese and bologna romato vegetable soup Coleslaw Wheat bread Rica pudding or grape juice 'photofinish i i on color 4x6 prints BEach picture is the best it can be or we reprint it free now! I I 4r6 Color Color Reprin to II ir-CUWoff II I 1 1 3 for $109 lD MAlu trtirgff mST- mm Him II I Johnww 171 5 -G4p NUS1 (6 481-0791 SMMmNhi nrinn nnmn i rriirh i mnn nnrji i ninnRR nnnnn breir mhRu4 unncio 1 noana 1 frtnnra wuHmRrnn onn RnRRnrana mm RRRC QRRIIR RRRIfl nnnmri riRnmcnn GRRRRn niiru in rrr errrr ortor rruci- Rnnnn nnmn nnun miR nriRRnnn rnnrn nmc ransnriRRO- fnnnnn uHnninn mm cimu Rnnrao nemn -nnmnnn nmnn n)R7Rnrvfnn rrr rannnn RiRRRnnn nnn Rrcm nnriRrt cirpciu RriiR onpjRn wnronn non nnRRrc cRRnrirnn rhiorrr rmnn bronun RfiRmomnn nno nRRrornci nnnni nriRnn i hrrod i rrgr RriM7l I iimnn isrcr nrimn rrrrr rorri i rcmnc: SAIO THE HAPUSS EXPLORER -OUR LEADER TOLD US TO BE CAREFUL OF QUICKSAND OUT IT MONT QUITE iW.