Nicola Bennett

Nicola Bennett joined ARTIS Gallery in December 2023  and presented her first solo exhibition at ARTIS in August 2024.

Originally from the UK, Nicola is now based in Alexandra, Central Otago. Her paintings celebrate the sensory intricacies of cooking with everyday ingredients - walnuts, figs, feijoa, black garlic or saffron.

Her approach intertwines colour with flavour, intertwining the sensory experiences of cooking and painting. She harmonises colours by intuitively mixing them, often painting directly on ingredients to capture their essence. Her process is organic, allowing paintings to evolve naturally, sometimes diverging from initial expectations.

Drawing inspiration from the likes of chef, Yotam Ottolenghi, local farms and local chefs, her works are an exploration of synaesthesia - where multiple stimuli merge into one painting that becomes a sensory journey. In this way, when her kitchen and painting studio converge, it becomes a space where ingredients inspire both culinary creations and vibrant abstract paintings. 

Nicola's formal training includes a BFA (Hons) from Leeds in the UK and an MFA First Class Hons from Whitecliffe College of Arts and Design.