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.
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Nicola BennettAnd So The Story Goes, 2024Oil & mixed media on canvas156 x 106 cm
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Nicola BennettThe Ingredient For A Perfect Weekend, 2024Oil & mixed media on canvas120 x 180 cm
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Nicola BennettExtra Good Days, 2024Oil & mixed media on canvas180 x 120 cm
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Nicola BennettAnd So Much More, 2024Oil & mixed media on canvas156 x 106 cm
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Nicola BennettThat Time Of Year, 2024Oil & mixed media on canvas180 x 120 cm
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Nicola BennettI’ll Bring Dessert, 2024Oil & mixed media on canvas120 x 180 cm
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Nicola BennettThe Colour Of Flavour, 2024Oil & mixed media on canvas156 x 106 cm
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Nicola BennettAll The Things, 2024Oil & mixed media on canvas156 x 106 cm
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Nicola BennettBright and Early, 2024Oil & mixed media on canvas156 x 106 cm
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Nicola BennettMeditation On A Nut, 2024Oil and mixed media on canvas170 x 200 cm
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Nicola BennettLow Tide, 2024Oil & mixed media on canvas156 x 106 cm
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Nicola BennettThe Fifth Taste, 2024Oil & mixed media on canvas120 x 180 cm
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Nicola BennettThe Perfect Ingredient, 2024Oil & mixed media on canvas147.5 x 147.5 cm
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Nicola BennettThe Proof is in the Pudding, 2024Oil & mixed media on canvas101 x 76 cm
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Nicola BennettWhen They’re Together, 2024Oil & mixed media on canvas156 x 106 cm
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Nicola BennettAnd Everything in Between, 2023Oil & mixed media
Framed in American Ash156 x 106 cm -
Nicola BennettCrunchy Crisp, 2023Oil & mixed media on board
Framed in American Ash41 x 30.5 cm -
Nicola BennettThe Sweet Spot, 2023Oil and mixed media on canvas
Framed in American Ash120 x 180 cm -
Nicola BennettWhen Friends Come Over, 2023Oil & mixed media on canvas
Framed in American Ash155 x 105 cm