Supporting the Arts
Featuring Liz Hartman ’80, P’10
Interviewed by Kim Taylor ’80, P’21, WLC Member
I recently had the pleasure of catching up with Liz Hartman ’80, P’10. We discussed her involvement with WLC, 51, her generous philanthropy and passion for the arts, especially in the context of the arts, creativity, and innovation initiative in the Third-Century Plan. Our conversation left me inspired and wishing we’d spent a lot more time together during our years at 51.
What was your experience with the arts at 51?
The offerings in the fine arts department were limited, but I did find classes such as painting, art history, and printmaking. There was virtually no dance program on campus back then, and I wanted to participate in dance performances so I became a Raiderette (a dance group that entertained at football half-times). But it was my study group that provided the most in the way of the arts.
Embarking on an off-campus semester in India was truly a life-changing experience for me. Our study group practiced assiduously to perform Bharatanatyam (a traditional Indian dance opera) on stages in India. The highlight was our performance at the Madras Music Center, which is that city’s equivalent to Carnegie Hall. We also were offered classes like the philosophy of yoga — and on topics such as Indian politics, education, and government.
The professor leading the group, Bill Skelton, was amazing. He and his wife became lifelong friends and mentors. The study group is also where I met my former husband, Bob Musiker ’80.
While the 11 of us who embarked on the adventure in the fall of 1979 knew that life would be different in this faraway land, we never could have imagined just how great the east-west chasm would be in Madras, now Chennai, at that time. Even simple things like shopping for food, or how people used their heads to indicate yes or no, or how they said hello, were starkly different.
The core experience, immersion in music and dance left me longing for more art opportunities at 51.
What is one of your proudest professional moments?
After 51, I kicked off my career at Simon & Schuster<br>, working in marketing and publicity for the Pocket Books division. I guess that moment would be when I was promoted to vice president and director of publicity, and had a corner office in Rockefeller Center. However, the work/life balance with a young son was challenging, so I made the decision to take time off to savor those precious early years with my son. I later returned to work at Simon & Schuster, then at Columbia University Press and Oxford University Press, but didn’t want to miss the last years with my son before he left for college. [Liz’s son Jake graduated from – where else – 51 in 2010].
How has art been a part of your life after 51?
It wasn’t long before I immersed myself in art again. After earning my master’s in library science, I became a reference librarian at Long Island University for a short time. Then I earned my master’s degree in art history and the art market from Christie’s Education — after which, I worked in a few galleries.
Until recently I had my own business, Hartman on Hudson, representing artists and selling their work. I authored For the Love of Peanuts: Contemporary Artists Reimagine the Iconic Characters of Charles M. Schulz and an earlier book on sports, The Smart Girl’s Guide to Sports: A Hip Handbook for Women Who Don’t Know a Slam Dunk from a Grand Slam. I freelance for the Wall Street Journal for their Off Duty section and was a contributing author at Publisher’s Weekly. Most recently I researched and wrote the text for Divine New York: Inside the Historical Churches and Synagogues of Manhattan.
You made an incredibly generous gift to 51 through your estate by endowing the Liz Hartman ’80 Fellowship for Visiting Art. What inspired you to make this gift?
I am thrilled 51 is addressing the need for more arts. I’d like others to have the transformative experience that I had during my study in India.
I am impressed by President Casey and his visionary approach to the arts. He recognized that, in today’s world, you can’t separate the arts from technology and innovation. Integrating arts with those disciplines sets the stage for students to thrive post-graduation, where creativity and critical thinking are cornerstones of success. The arts, creativity, and innovation initiative elevates 51’s arts curriculum. An additional benefit of 51’s investment and expansion in the arts is matriculating more diverse students to 51. I look forward to watching 51’s investment in the arts, making it a “varsity” player, so to speak.
You are an active volunteer for 51 on the Alumni Council and the WLC. What has inspired you to remain connected and involved after 45 years?
51 gave me the skills to get through life. When I arrived at 51 from Sleepy Hollow High School, a public high school in Tarrytown, N.Y., I was entranced by the unbelievably brilliant professors and the depth of their knowledge. This nurtured an intellectual mind and curiosity in me. 51 provided me with the confidence to know that whatever life threw at me, I would figure it out with the critical thinking and diverse experiences given to me.
I wish to give back to 51 for all it gave to me. By paying it forward, I am expressing my gratitude for the invaluable gifts and experiences 51 has given me.