Fran Beltz believes in the power of art. ”The more time you spend creating, the less time you have to destroy things. Art is what keeps this world civilized,” said the producer and host of ”The Art Corner,” a show aired on TCI six times a month.
Beltz uses the show to introduce children to the elements of art-texture, color, shape. ”I`ve always loved to create. I love children and I love sharing my knowledge with others.”
Beltz draws the class of three or four on-camera students into the day`s lesson with a storybook. Beltz wrote and illustrated seven books that weave fanciful stories around lessons. ”Each teaches about the elements of good design,” she said.
”Then there`s an art activity that relates to the element that you`ve learned about,” she said. Students join Beltz in finger painting, making prints with textured objects, assembling a collage or paper weaving.
”The little boy who was on the finger-painting show had never done any finger painting. He sat there like he couldn`t believe it. He was allowed to get messy and he wasn`t getting yelled at.”
Each program ends with a look at creations fashioned during the last
”Art Corner” show.
Beltz also teaches drawing classes through the St. Charles Park District. ”I hold a four-year degree in art education from Northern Illinois University. You could call me a freelance art teacher.”
”When I teach children, I teach them the basic drawing skills. What makes my technique unique is that I take contour drawing and bring it down to the elementary level. If you let your mind take over, and you`re not drawing what you see, you`re not doing contour drawing.”
Another of her consuming interests is writing. ”I thought by becoming a volunteer community producer, I could learn about writing for television.”
Her theory proved correct. Since getting ”The Art Corner” off the ground, she has sold two of her scripts to ”The Magic Door,” a children`s show broadcast on WBBM-TV.
”Access producing is helping me to understand the point of view, not only of the audience, but of the director and the crew.”
”The Art Corner” will be shown on TCI-Ch. 21 at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and at 10 a.m. Tuesday.
