"Falling in Mid Air" , above, by Jessica Kimbell of Mars High School, and "Sick in a Houseboat," at right, by Jesse McKinnis of Butler Intgermediate High School, will be on display during the annual Butler County High School Art Exhibit opening Friday at the Art Center, 344 S. Main St.

An opening night reception will be held for the annual Butler County High School Art Exhibit from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at The Art Center, 344 S. Main St. Admission is free, and light refreshments will be served.

This year's exhibit includes more than 150 pieces by high school students from the Butler, Knoch, Mars, Karns City and Seneca Valley school districts.

Tiffany London McClymonds, a 1998 graduate of Lincoln High School in Ellwood City and a 2003 graduate with a bachelor of fine arts in painting from Montana State University, will be judging the exhibit this year. The awards presentation will be made at 8 p.m. Friday on the Spirit Café stage of the Rittelmann Gallery.

Many of the students' works are for sale and will be on display through March 20.

Media for this exhibit includes digital art, photography, oil/acrylic, watercolor, sculpture, pen and ink, pastel/charcoal, clay, fiber arts, and mixed media. The entries this year range from the political ("FEMA: Where Are You Now?" and "Zimbabwe") to the whimsical, "Da Mash."

Art teachers who helped make this an exciting exhibit include Megan Bonistalli, Jason Shorr, Jim Nagle and Bill Crummf from Seneca Valley High School; John Pugliese from Butler Senior High School; Holly Bly, Erich Campbell and Britta Manges from Butler Intermediate High School; Erin Sloane and Rita Johnson from Mars High School; Doug Kamer from Knoch High School, and Carol Berteotti from Karns City High School.

The local high school rock group Calamity will appear in concert from 8 to 10 p.m. Saturday at The Art Center. Admission is $5 for this event.Upcoming exhibits at The Art Center include a nonjuried "Inspirational Religious Art Exhibit" opening April 3 and a juried exhibit "Paper or Plastic? The Green Show" opening April 17.Interested artists can call 724-283-6922 or visit the Web site, www.TheArtCenterButlerPa.org.Gallery hours are noon to 6 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, noon to 9 p.m. Fridays, and noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays.

"Sick in a Houseboat" by Jesse McKinnis of Butler Intermediate High School will be among the artwork exhibited by students from five school districts starting Friday at the Art Center.