Who We Are
The Saltzman Family Foundation was established in 2020 by Lisa Saltzman in honour of her parents, Ralph and Muriel — passionate collectors and devoted patrons of the arts. It was born from a deep sense of gratitude and a desire to celebrate the vision, generosity and curiosity that shaped her life.
Growing up surrounded by art and conversation, Lisa was profoundly influenced by her parents’ unwavering commitment to creativity and culture. Their enthusiasm extended far beyond collecting; it reflected a genuine belief in the power of artists and ideas to shape the world around them.
“My father was an innovator and a pioneer with a keen eye and remarkable taste. He was renowned for his creativity — and above all, he was a visionary.”
Through the Foundation, Lisa honours their legacy not only by preserving what they built, but by continuing the spirit of inspiration, courage and cultural engagement that defined their lives.
Lisa reflects: “I created the Saltzman Family Foundation in honour of my parents, who had a profound and indelible impact on me. Their love and belief in me brought me to this point. I thank them, and I miss them.
Art was their true passion. They were significant collectors, philanthropists and patrons. Growing up surrounded by their boundless enthusiasm and deep commitment to giving back, I was shaped by their example. They taught me that collecting art was never simply about ownership — it was about stewardship: nurturing artists, supporting institutions, and sharing beauty with the world.
Their generosity of spirit was as much a part of our home as the works that filled its walls. The Foundation is my way of carrying forward everything they instilled in me — the belief that art has the power to transform lives, and that those of us fortunate enough to love it have a responsibility to make it accessible to many.” — Lisa Saltzman
Lisa Saltzman
Photographer, Producer, Philanthropist, Cultural Steward
Lisa Saltzman is a multi-award-winning New York-based photographer, film producer, and philanthropist whose creative life was profoundly shaped by her parents. Her parent’s love of the arts profoundly shaped Lisa's creative and philanthropic pursuits.
Growing up surrounded by her parents' eclectic collection — with a predominance of the human form and a great deal of sculpture — left an indelible imprint. Their passion for art was intoxicating and relentless; it was complete joy for them. Lisa has noted that the three-dimensional nature of their sculpture informed her two-dimensional photography: she sees form and movement.
Saltzman's career began in advertising, where she led a successful promotional merchandise company, creating much of the visual content herself. Clients included HBO, the Guggenheim Museum, Rimmel, and numerous magazines. She later refined her craft by studying contemporary arts at Christie's and the International Center of Photography.
She is currently developing and producing content for film and television, including serving as Executive Producer of the forthcoming film Deception Road starring Thomas Haden Church. Lisa's slate include award winning, vetted screenplays predominantly based on true stories.
Lisa is the steward of a blue-chip museum-standard modern and contemporary art collection and is creating exhibitions with world-class museums and institutions, including the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York. Her partnership and collaborations with museums and with Annie Leibovitz were truly gratifying and have greatly amplified the careers of many artists.
Ralph Saltzman
Muriel Saltzman
Ralph Saltzman was Co-Founder and President of Designtex, a leader in the design and manufacturing of applied material for the built environment. Saltzman's curiosity and collaborative spirit are evident in the legacy of innovation he leaves behind and in the company he founded 60 years ago. Though his company evolved into a leader in the textiles, wall coverings, and applied materials space, with a catalog of over 8,000 products specified by designers for corporate, government, hospitality, and institutional clients, Saltzman’s beginnings were humble. A native of the Bronx and graduate of New York University, Saltzman credited much of the company’s early success to the support of his family. “My wife typed sample cards, describing the fabric and my mother, grandmother, and her sister stapled sample tickets at the kitchen table,” he once recalled.
Designtex's development of sustainable textiles and the partnership that emerged between William McDonough and chemist Michael Braungart won First Prize in the International Design Sense competition at the Design Museum in 2000.
Muriel was the catalyst to encourage Ralph in starting his company, which became known as Designtex. Saltzman credited much of the company’s early success to the support of his family. “My wife typed sample cards, describing the fabric and my mother, grandmother, and her sister stapled sample tickets at the kitchen table,” he once said.