I just watched the documentary "CODED: THE HIDDEN LOVE OF J.C. LEYENDECKER" on Paramount+, which profiles the art of America's first superstar illustrator -- or, more accurately, the not so subtle "coded" homosexual themes within his illustrations. The film is less than 30 minutes, but even in that short running time, it only glosses over Leyendecker's life and influence. Most of the focus is placed on his relationship with model/muse/lover Charles Beach, which is understanda

Throughout the making of the Amsel documentary, there have been a number of people I’m indebted to for their assistance. The project would likely not have been possible without them. One such person was my attorney, Harriet Beck, who was instrumental in helping me solve the seemingly complicated mystery of Richard Amsel’s estate and intellectual rights. After I spent years on my own trying to sort through and validate conflicting accounts made by Amsel’s friends and family, r

Happy new year, everyone! First and foremost, I want to thank all those who contributed to the documentary through our Fractured Atlas donation page. I’m grateful to and sincerely touched by your ongoing support. The December promo was a particular success, and I’ll be announcing the prize winners in a video shortly. (To those of you who donated $30 or more, I’ll be sending out the thank you packages in the coming weeks.) I also want to call out a generous anonymous donation