Friends of Architecture – Community Service Award

 

Dr. V. Roger Lalli

 

 

Long before the term “Architectural Tourism” became popular in Buffalo, Dr. V. Roger Lalli recognized the significance of the architectural treasures of our city.

Beginning in 1989 at the age of 67, Dr. Lalli spent 10 years painting a series of 42 watercolors of Buffalo’s most beloved landmarks.  These remarkable “photo realistic” watercolors comprise his series titled Buffalo My City and provide a visual record of our rich architectural heritage.  The images tell the world about the great architecture and history of the City of Buffalo. We are all familiar with these buildings, the Martin House, H.H. Richardson’s Buffalo Psychiatric Center, Albright Knox Art Gallery, but also other grittier landmarks that define our city, the Michigan Street Bridge, the Great Northern Grain Elevator, and the Ferry Street Underpass.  These selections represent a varied chronicle of the history of our city and are a reflection of Dr. Lalli’s knowledge and love for our environment and his unique perception of “sense of place” and the memories that often escape us in our everyday lives.

Dr. Lalli’s paintings have been displayed at the Albright Knox Gallery, the Buffalo Historical Society, and The Karpeles Manuscript Museum and in numerous exhibitions throughout the region and country.  The publications of his work reach a far broader international audience, shining a spotlight on Buffalo’s cache of great and historic architecture.

Born in South Buffalo, Dr. Lalli began his career not in art, but teaching. He taught in the Buffalo Public Schools, Rosary Hill College (now Daeman) and Canisius College, a well as spending 23 years in Amherst Central Schools.  He taught classes as varied as architecture, engineering, drafting, fine arts, and anatomy.  He also authored the textbook Intermediate Perspective, which was adopted as a secondary book by the Chicago and New York City Boards of Education.
In 2002, his book The Buffalo Architectural Watercolors was published.  It features all of the paintings from the Buffalo My City water color collection and includes intriguing commentaries, written by David Mott Rote, on the architecture and history behind the Buffalo Landmarks.

At 87 years of age, Dr. Lalli is a dynamic and passionate supporter of Buffalo as both the great city it once was, and the new one he sees emerging.  He has been one of Buffalo’s greatest ambassadors through his artwork and role as an educator. 
Dr. Lalli can truly be called a Friend of Architecture and is richly deserving of this recognition.