Remembering JOHN FREAS, Amsel's art teacher
- Dec 30, 2025
- 1 min read
I’m saddened by the news of John “Jack” Warren Freas’ passing yesterday, December 29th.
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 wife, Betty. They were both extremely gracious. Jack gave an insightful interview about Amsel’s years as a student in his class, and how impressed he was with Amsel’s subsequent career and body of work.
I stayed in touch with Jack over the years via email and social media. He was very kind to me after my father died, and remained supportive of my documentary.
I last spoke to him over the phone upon hearing of Betty’s passing in 2023. I was heartbroken for him, and regret that it took such a sad occasion for me to reach out to him again. I’ll be forever grateful for his thoughtfulness.
My deepest sympathies go out to all his family and friends.
This post about remembering John Freas as an art teacher really stood out because it captures how much a great teacher can influence their students beyond just techniques or assignments. What makes teachers memorable — and impactful — is often the way they encourage creativity, curiosity, and confidence, not just grades or test results. I was thinking about how important accurate information and critical thinking are in learning, which is something that connects to the idea of what are the effects of fake news to students. Just like a good teacher helps students think deeper and question assumptions, being able to recognise misleading or false content also affects how students learn and succeed. When learners are better equipped to tell…
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Jack was an important influential fellow in my life as an antiquarian Bookman…
Fun, kind and generous….we shared some of the same struggles….
We would even show up unexpectedly from time to time wearing the same exact style of shirt…
He was a kind good hearted gentleman…nothing but praise and gratitude for experiences shared….
RIP My Brother Bookman Jack….I will see you at the BIG RETROSPECTIVE….!