Standish Backus, Jr. (1910-1989) Born: Detroit, MI; Sudied: Princeton University, University of Munich (Germany); Member: American Watercolor Society, California Water Color Society. Standish Backus, Jr. grew up in Michigan and first started painting with watercolors while studying architecture at Princeton University. He continued his art education in Europe and then settled in Santa Barbara. For a brief period in the mid-1930s, he took further instruction in watercolor painting from Eliot O’Hara and then opened a studio and painted full time.