# Nicola Bennett
*Abstract painter*

Originally from the UK, Nicola Bennett is a New Zealand-based abstract painter who combines cooking and painting into an immersive sensory experience. She draws inspiration from local farms and chefs, harmonizing and intertwining colors with flavors by intuitively mixing them and often painting directly on ingredients to capture their essence. Having acquired her BFA (Hons) at Leeds University in the UK and her MFA First Class Hons from Whitecliffe College of Arts and Design in New Zealand, Nicola’s painting philosophy is unique. Her works have been featured in numerous exhibitions in New Zealand, such as The Colour of Flavour (2025), Aotearoa Art Fair (2024), and SAVOUR (2024). Nicola’s vibrant abstract paintings celebrate the phenomenon of synesthesia: the stimulation of multiple senses that merges into one painting, creating an engaging sensory experience. She shares her signature techniques and painting methods through online courses, guiding students on how to use translucent layers and the evocative power of color to create sensory abstract paintings.Learn more about Nicola Bennett and her work by visiting her website, or find her on Instagram.

**Connect:** [Website](https://www.nicolabennett.co.nz/) · [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/nicolabennettart/?hl=en)

## Retreats led by Nicola Bennett

### Abstracted Flavor - Painting Inspired by the Senses Retreat with Artist Nicola Bennett in France
September 12 - 19, 2026 · Eymet, Dordogne, France · $4,850
Instructors: Nicola Bennett
[Details](https://uptrek.com/ai/content/retreat/abstracted-flavor-painting-inspired-by-the-senses-retreat-artist-nicola-bennett-france) · [Book on uptrek.com →](https://uptrek.com/retreat/abstracted-flavor-painting-inspired-by-the-senses-retreat-artist-nicola-bennett-france#book)

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**Last updated:** 2025-12-15