More than 20 painters from a variety of communities will exhibit watermedia works when the 2009 Colorado Watercolor Society State Show opens with a reception from 5 to 8 p.m. April 24 and continues until May 3 at the Colorado History Museum.

Art lovers always find a strong, varied collection of paintings at this annual show, with styles ranging from contemporary realism to abstraction.

There will be portraits, landscapes, travel images, still life, florals and perhaps abstractions of all of the above.

Watercolor is a demanding medium, requiring rather precise timing and planning, although at times a happy accident can be successfully included in the process.

Colorado Watercolor Society artists have developed skillfully controlled techniques, which allow them to present images they see or imagine.

Award-winning, nationally recognized watercolorist and teacher Mark Mehaffey, who lives in Michigan, is the juror for the exhibit. He has selected 100 Colorado artists for the show. While in town, he will teach a workshop April 24-26.

Admission is free to the exhibit — just tell the folks at the entrance desk that you’re there to see the show. The opening reception is from 5-8 p.m. April 24. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays.

All artwork is for sale.

Chuck Danford of Littleton often exhibits paintings of mountain goats perched on high rocky cliffs or other animals in the wild, but his contented little “Basset Hound,” enjoying some rays, is in the 2009 exhibit. Danford is a Colorado native and graduate of Colorado Institute of Art. He worked as a graphic artist and has been painting professionally since 1998.

Other Littleton watercolorists with work accepted for the show are rita derjue, Joyce Shelton, Susan Spear, Carolyn Tegeder and Sean Willard.

From Centennial, there are paintings by Melissa Barrett, Suzanne Bartlett; Paul Foster, Steve Griggs, Anita Winter.

Englewood artists are Pat Foster and Janice Hanson.

Highlands Ranch painters are Diane Fechenbach, Chris Jensen, Becky Lucas, Judy Witherell.

Other artists:

Greenwood Village: Georgia Mucilli.

Castle Rock: Suzanne Strear.

Lone Tree: Zona Janssen.

Monument: Susan Larson.

Woodland Park: Sally Wilson.

Members and nonmembers may attend Mehaffey’s workshop, “Experiments in Content, Color and Composition,” if space remains.

It will pack material normally covered in four days into three. Costs are $225, society member; $275, nonmember. 303-973-8950 or e-mail art_bug@hotmail.com.

If you go

The Colorado Watercolor Society’s 2009 State Show runs April 24 through May 3 at the Colorado History Museum, 1300 Broadway, Denver.

Hours: 5-8 p.m. April 24, opening reception; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday; noon to 5 p.m. Sundays.