Created during the “Monday Morning Artists” program at the Council of Aging, the artwork of five seniors earned awards in the 18th Annual Senior Citizens Art Show.

The department of the Secretary of the Commonwealth runs the competition. Entries are accepted from both amateur and professional artists and were on display in Boston’s Commonwealth Museum last month.

A reception held Oct. 27 honored award winners who submitted work based on the theme “Celebrate My Hometown.” Artwork done in oil, watercolor, ink, pastels, charcoal and other media were submitted by 152 artists from across Massachusetts.

Betty Beaulileu, of Rochester, won second place grand prize in the watercolor category.

Beaulileu’s entry depicts the Cape Cod Canal Railroad Bridge at twilight.

She’s attended “Monday Morning Artists” for the past five years. Each week, the group turns a corner of the Senior Center’s activity room into a makeshift studio. The program is free and open to all seniors.

While the artists are grateful for the recognition, the group is about artistic camaraderie and encouragement.

“We’re here to help each other out,” Beaulileu said.

Beaulileu works primarily in watercolor. A number of her paintings are on display in the Senior Center. She favors working from photographs of local scenes, set in Rochester’s agricultural past.

“I enjoy painting how landscapes used to look,” she said.

That includes a painting of two children handpicking cranberries in the early 1900s. The inspiration for that piece came from a series of photographs and news reports filed by a journalist on child labor at the time.

Another painting by Beaulileu depicts a pastoral farm scene set near Vaughn Hill Road.

Watercolor artist Helen Johnson was also recognized in the contest. Johnson’s painting of a farm stand – complete with ripe pumpkins, a scarecrow and zucchinis for sale –earned third honorable mention grand prize in the watercolor category.

For 10 years, Johnson has attended the group. When asked what inspires her to paint, she said the muse is difficult to pin down.

“It’s hard to say. Something will catch my eye for whatever reason and before I know it, there’s a brush in my hand and I’m creating a scene,” she said.

The other contest winners from Rochester include the following people: Betty DeVincent (first honorable mention for grand prize, watercolor category), Janet Smith-Flaherty (third honorable mention grand prize, watercolor category), Doreen Grover (first honorable mention Museum Committee watercolor category.)

For more information on the “Monday Morning Artist” program, call the Rochester Senior Center at 508-763-8723.