Megan Divers, a senior at Karns City High School, works on a mixed media sculpture called “Pressure” for the All Butler County Middle School and High School Art Show.

More than 450 entries have been received for the All Butler County Middle School and High School Art Show at the Butler Art Center.

A reception is planned for 7 to 9 p.m. Friday. Light refreshments will be served, and musical entertainment will be provided by Cecilia Tomko and friends. Admission is free.

The show is open to students in grades seven to 12 and will be judged by members of the Slippery Rock University art department. Cash prizes and ribbons will be awarded for Best of Show as well as first and second places and honorable mention in six categories: painting, drawing, pastels, photography and digital art, mixed media and collage, and 3-D.

Lindsay Green, high school art teacher in the Karns City School District, said 29 district students submitted a total of 49 works of art for the show.

“My students submitted a variety of artworks,” Green said. “Some were the product of class projects; others were independent works. I encourage students to create art with a subject or theme that they are passionate about. I believe personal attachment often leads to more effective designs since the students take ownership and are trying to provoke a response from the viewer.”

One Karns City student, senior Megan Divers, is preparing a sculpture for the show.

Megan is the high school's Art Club president and is taking both advanced art and painting courses, said Green.

Megan's mixed media sculpture is called “Pressure,” a deteriorating figure trapped and facing a mirror, struggling to get free.

The 3-D piece is made of all man-made materials including plaster, PVC pipe, copper wire, caulking, chicken wire and mirrors. The man-made materials were purposely used to further stress the idea of struggle between man-made materials versus natural self.

The show opened Wednesday and will continue through March 25 at the Art Center at 344 S. Main St. Regular hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays and noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays.

For more information, call 724-283-6922 or visit www.butlerartcenter.org.