I’m saddened by the news of John “Jack” Warren Freas’ passing yesterday, December 29 th .   Freas was one of Richard Amsel’s art teachers at the Philadelphia College of Art (later renamed The University of the Arts, which closed in 2024). An accomplished artist and illustrator himself, he was also an avid book collector, and ran a longstanding antiquarian bookstore, Tamerlane Books, from his home in Havertown, PA.   I met Freas there in June of 2017, along with his lovely wif

Today marks yet another WORLD AIDS DAY, where we commemorate those lost to AIDS, as well as to support the many people still struggling to survive with the disease.   I think the younger generations may never fully grasp the sheer magnitude of the devastation left in the wake of AIDS, nor the maddening political and social indifference, if not outright cruelty, so many of its victims were forced to endure during the Reagan/Bush eras. The profound, epic tragedy of AIDS goes fa

As 2025 comes to a close, it’s time I reach out again for support towards the project’s completion funds. I’ve never been very good at making such pitches. My time is so preoccupied between working on the film and my new teaching job, that fundraising efforts easily fall by the wayside.   It’s been an eventful year, with clips from the film being showcased at the Muzeo Museum in Anaheim, California, as well as our receiving accolades from the Communicator Awards, Telly Awards

I’ve been very slow to comment here on Drew Struzan , who died October 13 th  at the age of 78. I heard the news within hours of his passing, and it broke my heart.   Rather than write another simple blog post, I opted to film a little video on my iphone a few weeks ago. But with work at school and other commitments, I didn’t get around to editing it until tonight. I rambled on quite a bit, and had to trim out some parts where my emotions got the better of me.   My deepest sy

AMSEL: ILLUSTRATOR OF THE LOST ART is now a Gold Award Winner at this year's DAVEY AWARDS , in the category of Social Campaigns-Arts, Culture & Lifestyle. While the film itself is still in progress, the award recognizes all the work done for the project so far -- from the teaser trailer and website, to (and especially) our news reporting about Richard Amsel's life, work, and creative legacy. I've now dedicated about 10 years to making this documentary, following even more ye

Robert Redford, the megawatt movie star of some of the greatest films of all time, as well as an Oscar-winning director, producer,...

I previously wrote about Amsel’s poster work for both PAPILLON and CUBA , neither of which were used for the films’ main marketing...

Sorry I haven’t posted any updates in a while. I’ve been busy this summer preparing for a new position at a nearby high school,...

I’ve written in the past about 1980’s FLASH GORDON , which has grown hugely popular over the years, and whose poster remains one of...

AMSEL: ILLUSTRATOR OF THE LOST ART is now a Silver Winner at this year's TELLY AWARDS. Work done for the forthcoming AMSEL: ILLUSTRATOR...

I'm proud to share that my work on AMSEL: ILLUSTRATOR OF THE LOST ART has received a 2025 Communicator Award for Excellence, in the...

SPRING MATCH CAMPAIGN: Own one of Richard Amsel's personal MAD MAX posters!   First, our SPRING MATCH 2025 donation promo has now...

R.I.P.: RICHARD CHAMBERLAIN, the dashing, handsome Hollywood star known for his roles as "Dr. Kildare", and epic miniseries "Shogun" and...

Last Thursday, March 13th, I had the great pleasure of doing a Q&A about Richard Amsel's art for RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, following a...

I previously wrote about a current exhibit at The MUZEO Museum and Cultural Center in Anaheim, "Painted for the Pictures: The...

Last year I interviewed Clark Silva , a museum curator and art historian who has a special love of movie posters. He's been developing an...

OUR GRATITUDE As November comes to a close, I want to give thanks to all of you for your ongoing support of this project. Whether you’ve...

The AIDS Quilt panel we made in Richard Amsel's memory will be on display this coming weekend, as part of the Philadelphia AIDS Walk on...

"Doctor Jones... Again we see there is nothing you can possess which I can not take away." Such a thrill and honor to interview the great...

I recently flew yet again to the east coast to film some interviews. Barring any surprises, this will very likely be my last major trip...

This past week, a number of former University of the Arts employees reached out to me about their experiences with the school's archives,...

(NOTE: As of 6/14/24, there is a critical update to this story. UoA's Amsel collection was transferred to Margaret Herrick Library at end...

As University of the Arts closes, estate of late “Indiana Jones” artist alleges fraudulent copyright filings, and demands access to original

June is LGBTQ+ PRIDE MONTH, which has become a tradition in the United States following the Stonewall riots' gay liberation protests in...