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Cathy Bente
Cathy Bente painted a watercolor based on a picture of her daughter, Tanya McDaniel, walking the Helen to Hardman Heritage Trail. Her creation serves as the cover image for the 2021-2022 edition of Get the Scoop magazine.
The 68-year-old Sautee Nacoochee resident said the painting is based on a May 2020 walk the two took together.
“I haven’t often painted something that is White County, and this just felt like this is White County,” Bente said.
“It was during the ever-changing initial phase of the COVID pandemic, and such a breath of fresh air in every aspect,” Bente said. “This painting preserves that moment in time for us.”
Bente said she loves spring colors showcased on the Helen to Hardman Heritage Trail, which is a roughly 1-mile stretch running along the Chattahoochee River between the Hardman Farm State Historic Site and the edge of the city of Helen.
“I am all about springtime green,” she said. “…There were plenty of greens, and I love the shadows on the walkway. It just appealed to me to do this.”
Bente said painting helps her relax. She’s painted a variety of subjects, including the Hardman House, a waterwheel in Rock City, beach themes and others.
“It’s challenging. It’s rewarding. It’s peaceful,” she said. “You can listen to music and get lost in the process … I love it. It’s my therapy.”
Bente moved from Florida to the Northeast Georgia mountains in 2011. She is a member of the Georgia Watercolor Society and is a juried artist. She has displayed work in Georgia at the Twin Galleries of the Sautee Nacoochee Center, Inside Out in Sautee Village and Memory Lane in Clarkesville.