Center for the Study of Art, Architecture, History and Nature
Dennis Galucki, Founder
Chuck LaChiusa, Webmaster

The Center for the Study of Art, Architecture, History and Nature (C-SAAHN) is simply an Idea - an Idea to promote appreciation for the important roles of Art, Architecture, History and Nature in our lives both individually and collectively. Our geographic focus is the Buffalo-Niagara Region, but this Idea could apply to any city or region.

The Idea has been developed in presentations as a docent at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Arts in Education Institute, Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society, Buffalo Harbor Landmark Cruise, Buffalo State College Newman Center, Buffalo Tours, Frank Lloyd Wright's Darwin Martin House Complex, Landmark Society of the Niagara Frontier (now Preservation Buffalo Niagara) City Hall Tours. And, it was further developed as a Special Studies program at the Chautauqua Institution in 2006 and 2007, "Imagining Buffalo in the 21st Century: The Buffalo-Chautauqua Idea."

 C-SAAHN's Mission:

• Developing and implementing the Buffalo-Chautauqua Idea
• Encouraging other organizations - public, private and not-for-profit - to view Buffalo and the Niagara Region as an international destination for Art, Architecture, History and Nature
• Enhancing appreciation of Frank Lloyd's Wright's works in our region
• Providing a meaningful lifelong learning experience for area students, residents, visitors and tourists using web sites, tours, lectures, and signage

In effect, the Center for the Study of Art, Architecture, History & Nature (C-SAAHN) is a digital enterprise designed to help link volunteers and lifelong learning communities in our region and beyond.

C-SAAHN's Vision:
"Imagine Buffalo Niagara 2010 - 2020"
Let us see our region as a:

1. Series of lifelong learning communities linked together;
2. Railroad hub for New York City, Chicago, and Toronto;
3. Nature preserve and sculpture park;
4. Center for the study of Frank Lloyd Wright;
5. Community that celebrates its past;
6. Community where every student and their family members are encouraged to participate in cultural activities as lifelong learners;
7. Unique bi-national community;
8. Creative community developing a sustainable economy.

 The matching Eight Ideas below are measurable goals for helping to create C-SAAHN's vision.

Eight  Ideas

	1. The Buffalo-Chautauqua Idea Chautauqua was founded in 1874 and has evolved around four pillars - Art, Education, Religion, and Recreation. Buffalo, N.Y., was incorporated as a city in 1832 and has evolved around various pillars. For instance, built in 1876 the Old Erie County Building has four statues on its tower representing Mechanical Arts, Commerce, Agriculture and Justice. The former Goldome Building has four interior pillars, painted in the late 1920s, with the depictions of Art, Power, Commerce and Industry. Recognizing the definition of art as "human creativity, skill, and any craft or profession" (the first four definitions in Webster's New World Dictionary), the Buffalo-Chautauqua idea invites Buffalo to see itself rooted in Art, Architecture, History and Nature in connecting itself philosophically with Chautauqua in the the 21st century. The Landmark Cruise The Landmark Cruise is an extension of the idea offered as a special studies course at Chautauqua Institution in 2006 and 2007. The Center for the Study of Art, Architecture, History and Nature sponsors a weekly Landmark Cruise on the Miss Buffalo II every Wednesday at 3:00-5:00 p.m. during July and August through Labor Day 2010. Dennis Galucki will guide participants on a journey of the imagination while the captain takes the participants on an adventure out into Lake Erie, the Niagara River and the Black Rock channel. Using landmarks along the way, we begin to see our region as a 21st century international destination for art, architecture, history and nature. Reservations suggested (some cruises sell out): 716.856.6696 The Art of Investing The Smith Library, at Chautauqua Institution, Monday Noon-Hour Lecture/Discussion Series, "The Art of Investing" is led by Dennis Galucki and meets every Monday during the 9-week season at Chautauqua Institution.  (Please check the listing of daily activities on the back of the Monday Chautauquan Daily newspaper for any variation in times). Ideas must be invested in with time, resources and energy to become real. Attempting to invest in a sustainable world through individual companies is the central theme of the discussions. Four key topics of discussion for individual investors are: 1. "Know thyself" and what risk/reward you want. 2 Develop a strategy, philosophy, asset allocation and disciplines to get what you want. 3 See yourself as a lifelong learner and student of the market. 4 Decide how to measure success and/or failure often - even daily. See also: An example of these principles is described in the Buffalo Business First article by Allissa Kline, Nonprofit links sustainability to stock investment portfolio See also: Interview with Dennis Galucki, Founder, Center for the Study of Art, Architecture, History & Nature (C-SAAHN) by Buffalo Rising, March, 2010.
	2. See Buffalo as the international destination and railroad hub for New York City, Chicago and Toronto. How? a. Promote high-speed rail to connect NYC and Chicago, not just Albany to Buffalo. This will automatically include Albany to Buffalo as well as all the major Great Lakes cities and states, including Erie, PA; Cleveland, OH; Toledo, OH; Detroit, MI; and Gary, IN. Political support for this idea should be substantial if all these cities are included with NYC and Chicago. See George Pyle, Improved railroad service boosted October 8, 2009 , The Buffalo News and Paterson unveils plans for rail line October 7, 2009 , The Buffalo News and High Speed Rail Gets a Boost September 18, 2009, The Buffalo News and Buffalo Needs High Speed Rail Line from NYC to Chicago June 3, 2009 Letter to the Editor, The Buffalo News Develop a Train Strategy to Ensure Rail Project, March 15, 2009 Letter to the Editor, The Buffalo News b. Encourage on-train customs procedures to eliminate bridge waiting time -- making the train the easiest way to connect Toronto with Buffalo and all US points east and west. See Senate Calls for Study of Border Procedures July 12, 2009. The Buffalo News
	3. The Oldest Tree in Buffalo Celebration The Center for the Study of Art, Architecture, History & Nature (C-SAAHN) is pleased to announce that it is a sponsor and supporter of the 2010 Buffalo Garden Walk, July 24 & 25. While we support the effort to become known as a National Garden Walk, C-SAAHN recommends that the idea expands next year to become the first international garden walk by including Mather Park in Fort Erie, both cities of Niagara Falls and the entire Canadian Niagara River shoreline trail: "The Buffalo Niagara International Garden Walk." The map could simply show this regional perspective and become immediate on the present Garden Walk web site. If agreed to soon, this idea could make next years marketing brochures from Erie and Niagara County and Ontario Visitor Bureaus (see Idea #7). Also, C-SAAHN recommends that the 300 year old sycamore tree on Franklin St. be included on all future Garden Walk maps.
	4. Imagine rebuilding the Larkin Administration Building. This project would add to Buffalo's appeal as an international art and architecture destination and a locale for restored Wright edifices; this project would add to the critical mass of Wright structures that are already attracting tourists and critics. The environs around the Larkin Administration site are being productively developed and the lot where the building stood is empty - for now. Wright's plans are also available. It is a manageable five-story brick building (approximately 150,000 sq. ft.) whose interior spaces may be readily adaptable to many creative and productive uses. See the Newsweek article The Goodbye Swirl:The Guggenheim was Wright's last great building. What happened to the first? and City should reconstruct Larkin Office Building, October 16, 2009. The Buffalo News
	5. Buffalo-Niagara Landmark Signage Project
	6. Classrooms + Culturals =  Lifelong Learning Idea Our community and region invest a great deal of money into education, K-12 and beyond, as well as our cultural institutions. The school experience by all accounts is enhanced when classrooms visit our cultural institutions especially when parents become chaperones. These institutions include the Albright-Knox, Darwin Martin House, Burchfield-Penney, Kleinhans Music Hall, Buffalo and Erie County Zoo, Museum of Science, Botanical Gardens and Historical Society - to name a few. The goal of this idea is to get every student in our region into one cultural institution at least once a year. The more that classes of students experience our cultural establishments the more we will build our future base of support for the cultural institutions and improve the educational experience for all today.
	7. Niagara and Erie Counties, 1821-2021 Erie County was carved from Niagara County in 1821. The goal of this idea is to encourage our region - including both counties - to creatively collaborate in becoming an international destination for art, architecture, history and nature. Ideally, this would also include southern Ontario in an effort to create one international marketing and advertising strategy for the entire Niagara region. Celebrating the bicentennial of the War of 1812 and the Peace of 1814 can become the stimulus for creating this cross-county and cross-country relationship. See also Doug Draper, Creating a binational community and Binational Doors Open Niagara 2009 and www.Discover1812.com
	8. The community must prepare for the National Trust for Historic Preservation October 2011 Conferenece hosted by Preservation Buffalo Niagara This event including the infrastructure preparation will go a long way in establishing Buffalo and our region as an international destination for art, architecture, history and nature. One way to prepare for the 2011 National Trust Conference is for all local organizations to encourage local individual membership in the NTHP with a goal of 2500 local participants attending the Conference, matching the out of town expected attendance. Supporting Preservation Buffalo Niagara as host for the National Conference must also be a creative regional activity. See also Todd Mitchell, Let's strive to be like our sister city in Japan October 11, 2009 The Buffalo News ----------------------- 2011 National Preservation Conference Planning Meeting, July 7, 2010, Buffalo, NY The 2011 National Preservation Conference will be hosted in Buffalo, NY Oct. 18-22 by Preservation Buffalo Niagara (PBN). The community was invited to a planning meeting at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery on July 7, 2010 that attracted nearly 300 people. Speakers from the National Trust for Historic Preservation included Valecia Crisafulli, acting vice president for programs and Lori Feinman, associate director for conferences and training for the National Trust's Center for Preservation Leadership. The moderator was Catherine Schweitzer, president of PBN. Ed Healy, vice president for marketing, Buffalo Niagara Convention & Visitors Bureau, also spoke of the significant community effort that went into becoming the winning bid for the 2011 Conference. Participants offered many ideas to help make the conference a success and much optimism and enthusiasm was expressed by the NTHP leaders. The Center for the Study of Art, Architecture, History & Nature (C-SAAHN) has been a supporter of this project since the 2005 National Preservation Conference in Portland,OR and encourages record community participation in 2011. C-SAAHN will sponsor Downtown Library Noon-hour Lectures focusing on the 2011 Preservation Conference in the Fall of 2010 and early 2011 to help accomplish this goal. July 7, 2010 Audio provided by C-SAAHN. Click here. "Brainstorming for a historical showcase," The Buffalo News, July 8, 2010  Click here.

See also:

• Other Ideas
• Advancing Arts and Culture
• Art Voice
• Binational Tourism Alliance: Doors Open
• Buffalo Grain Elevator Preserve
• Buffalo History Web Sites
• Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper
• Buffalo Rising
• Buffalo Visitors & Convention Bureau
• Campaign for Greater Buffalo, History, Architecture and Culture
• Community Foundation and Center
• Downtown Public Library and Center
• Garden Walk
• Niagara Cultural Tourism
• Old Editions Book Shop and Café
• Queen City in the 21st Century Buffalo's Comprehensive Plan adopted Feb. 7, 2006
• Richardson Complex
• Talking Leaves Books
• The Buffalo News
• Websites and Organizations That Describe Buffalo and the Niagara Frontier's Art, Architecture, History and Nature
• WNED
  
  
• Art Institute of Chicago
• Chicago Architecture Foundation
• Guggenenheim Museum
• Museum of Modern Art (MOMA)
• Prairie Avenue Bookshop
• Savannah College of Art and Design

Viewers are encouraged to send an email at C4SAAHN@gmail.com to be added to the C-SAAHN Network
and to have their organization linked with C-SAAHN.

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Page by Chuck LaChiusa in 2009
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