"The Order of Squamata from the Animalia Kingdom," the annual Ridge High School Advanced Placement studio art class show portraying a nature-oriented theme, opened this month at the Environmental Education Center in Basking Ridge and will continue through March 17.

A reception for the student artists and their families, friends and art fans is scheduled for 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday night at the EEC at 190 Lord Stirling Road.

This year's show — with exhibits from 24 Ridge artists — will feature mostly charcoal, crayon, oil paint and Sharpie pen drawings of geckos, said Jane Parks, environmental events specialist at the EEC. This is the fourth annual art show with

Six-foot gecko sculpture to be part of exhibit

Although the exhibit opened on Feb. 1, Parks said on Tuesday that she still was expecting the arrival of a six-foot gecko sculpture from one of the students.

The flier for the show also promises large-scale drawings and assemblages from the observation of geckos.

"The art work is exceptional," Parks said this week.

She said Ridge art teacher Wendell Jeffrey always comes up with an interesting show — that might include some live specimens.