Photographers promote awareness of the environmental effects of littering on White Rock Lake Trashing Our Treasure

January 8-April 17, 2011 Reception with the Artists: Saturday, January 29, 2011 (7-9 PM) Free and open to the public

DALLAS - The White Rock Lake Museum, in collaboration with Shared FUEL, present Trashing Our Treasure, an exhibition that features the artwork of six local photographers who investigate the effects of environmental pollution on White Rock Lake. The exhibition will run from January 8 to April 17, 2011. An opening reception with the photographers will be held on Saturday, January 29, 2011 from 7 to 9 PM. The exhibition and reception are free and open to the public. Shared FUEL, a Dallas-based sustainable nonprofit organization, has announced the kick-off to its 2011 Talkin’ Trash series, designed to educate, inform and motivate individuals to be aware of the environmental consequences of littering, by sponsoring a provocative photographic exhibition at the White Rock Lake Museum. Trashing Our Treasure reveals the impact of human nature on nature itself at White Rock Lake, by using the camera as a conscience. This exhibition is of particular interest, due to the centennial celebration of White Rock Lake in 2011. The show focuses on the unnatural predators, such as Styrofoam, plastics, glass and other manufactured items that accumulate along the shoreline and encroach upon wildlife habitats. The photographs beg these questions: Where does litter come from, and where does it go? The exhibition urges us to Think, Care and Act responsibly. The photographers in this exhibition are Annemarie Marek, Dylan Hollingsworth, Mike Stovall, Benjamin J. Hager, Houston Brown, and Nancy Black. According to long-time community volunteer and exhibit coordinator B.J. Ellis, “The purpose of this exhibit is to encourage dialogue about the harsh realities our lake habitat faces daily. The show blends the artistic sensitivity and environmental awareness of the impact of human nature on the lake through the camera’s eye.” Annemarie Marek, president of Shared FUEL, states: “We care deeply about White Rock Lake because it is a green retreat for so many diverse groups and people in our city. We are very excited about the visual conversation that this show will generate and believe that by ‘talkin’ trash,’ others may understand and collaborate on ways to reduce our human impact on this local treasure. “ Trash and debris that originate upstream also wash down through White Rock Creek, resulting in the unsightly “ring around White Rock Lake” after a heavy downpour or snow melt. After its 3-month run at White Rock Lake Museum, Shared FUEL intends to create a traveling exhibit that is available for educational outreach. About Shared FUEL Shared FUEL (Shared Focus on Urban Environmental Leadership) is a Dallas-based non-profit organization founded by three East Dallas neighbors, that has identified the need for our community to collaborate, co-operate and create a new urbanism that nurtures people and protects the planet today and for tomorrow. Shared FUEL’s overriding strategy is to connect the dots from the myriad of nonprofits, municipal agencies, businesses, schools and neighborhood associations that share our vision of urban environmental sustainability to create synergies that will ignite change. For more information visit: www.sharedfuel.org. About B.J. Ellis, Exhibition Coordinator Exhibit coordinator B.J. Ellis is a White Rock Lake area resident and active community volunteer. Ellis is also an independent distributor for Shaklee and avid supporter of sustainable solutions. About the White Rock Lake Museum The Bath House Cultural Center is the home of the White Rock Lake Museum. The museum’s mission is to preserve and present the human and natural history of White Rock Lake Park and its surrounding environment. The White Rock Lake Museum was inaugurated in September of 2004. Please visit the museum's website at http://www.whiterocklakemuseum.org Please visit www.bathhousecultural.com for more information and to preview selected art pieces from the exhibition in the Photo Gallery.

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Press Photographs Houston Brown To download print-resolution (300 dpi) JPEG press  photographs of this event, please visit the online  Press Room at http://enriquefernandezcervantes.com/bhccpress/ Publication of photographs must contain the credit line provided on the webpage. Photographs may only be used for promotional, educational, or non-commercial purposes.