Kimberly Schmid lives and works in Southcentral Alaska, surrounded by vast landscapes, shifting light, and a deep connection to the land. For many years, her creative life sat alongside a very different path. With a background spanning two decades in medical microbiology and the biological sciences, art was always present but not yet fully realised as a central force.
Participating in Take Two and Nicola Bennett’s abstract painting course, Edible Abstraction, marked a turning point for Kimberly. What initially was a desire to explore abstraction more thoroughly evolved into a significant shift that influenced both her artistic process and her perception of creativity. Currently, her work demonstrates increased confidence, a more assertive voice, and a renewed curiosity that fuels her ongoing development.
Before joining the course, Kimberly had spent several years exploring abstract acrylic painting. She had developed a solid understanding of foundational techniques, yet something still wasn’t quite landing. There was a persistent sense of hesitation, as though each painting needed to be fully resolved before it had even begun.
Like many artists, she found herself turning outward for direction. Inspiration came from observing other artists’ work, borrowing elements such as colour palettes and textures to better understand them. Yet the results often felt disconnected. The work lacked a sense of ownership and, in her words, “didn’t really feel like my work.”
This uncertainty extended into the process itself. There was a tendency to overwork surfaces, smoothing out shapes rather than allowing them to exist with strength and clarity. The desire to control the outcome often replaced the opportunity to discover it.
Kimberly first came across Nicola Bennett’s Edible Abstraction course on Take Two on Instagram. As both an abstract painter and a self-confessed food enthusiast, she found the concept immediately resonant. The organic forms, layered surfaces, and sensory approach to abstraction felt aligned with what she had been searching for.
Having previously taken courses with Take Two, she already trusted the experience. There was a sense that stepping into this course would offer more than new techniques. It would provide a space to explore and grow.
That instinct proved right.
One of the most profound changes Kimberly experienced was in how she approached painting itself. Rather than beginning with a fixed idea of what the work should become, she entered a more open, responsive process.
“I could look at something that inspired me and respond to it… I was only nodding to it, not copying it.”
The structured layering process introduced in the course created what Kimberly describes as a “call and response” relationship with her materials. Each layer offered new information, and each mark became something to react to rather than to control.
This shift removed the pressure to know the final outcome. Instead, painting became a conversation. The trepidation that had once defined her starting point was replaced with curiosity and engagement.
“It was a revelation… I went from feeling hesitant to feeling curious. And that really changed everything.”
A key part of this transformation came through a renewed relationship with materials. Gesso, once seen as a preparatory step, became central to Kimberly’s process.
Layered gesso introduced immediate depth, history, and texture to the work. It created surfaces that held both weight and subtlety, offering something tangible to respond to from the outset. The unpredictability of these layers added a sense of discovery, encouraging a more intuitive approach.
This material-led process also helped resolve long-standing challenges. Rather than forcing shapes into existence, they began to emerge naturally through layering. The act of building the surface became inseparable from the act of composition.
The results were immediate. As Kimberly began sharing her work, other artists noticed the shift. There was a richness and dynamism that had not been present before, and curiosity followed.
Kimberly’s exhibition piece, Boreal Forage, marks a defining moment in this journey. Created during the course, it represents both a technical and an emotional breakthrough.
While the course explores abstraction through food, Kimberly found her own interpretation by linking that sensory approach to Alaska’s landscapes. The relationship between land, food, and lived experience became central to the work.
Surrounded by mountains, forests, and communities still closely connected to subsistence living, Kimberly recognised that her response to the landscape mirrored Nicola’s approach to food. The painting became a way to merge these worlds.
Inspired by a simple yet meaningful moment spent walking trails and picking berries with a friend, Boreal Forage (below) carries memory and place within its layers. It reflects a personal narrative while remaining open and abstract, allowing the viewer to find their own connection.
Art had long served as a therapeutic outlet for Kimberly, a way to process experiences and navigate emotions. Through this course, however, her relationship with art began to expand.
Rather than merely responding to life, her practice began to inform it.
She became more intentional about how she spent her time, setting achievable goals and actively creating space for her work. This included entering local exhibitions, building connections with other artists, and sharing her work more openly.
Perhaps most significantly, this shift extended beyond the studio. Inspired by the creative momentum sparked by the course, Kimberly applied to culinary school and was accepted. What began as an exploration of abstraction has opened the door to an entirely new chapter, grounded in creativity.
Alongside the technical and personal growth, the Take Two community played an important role in Kimberly’s experience. The course environment offered encouragement and inspiration, connecting artists across levels and locations.
Friendships formed during the course have endured beyond it, with ongoing support and creative exchange shared through social platforms. For Kimberly, this sense of connection reinforced the idea that artistic growth does not happen in isolation.
It happens in conversation, both with materials and with people.
Kimberly’s work continues to evolve. She is now exploring the integration of oil paints, drawn to their potential to lend luminosity and depth to her layered surfaces. The experimental foundation developed during the course gives her the confidence to move into new materials without hesitation.
Her focus remains rooted in exploration, particularly in translating the visceral experience of landscape into abstract form. The process is ongoing, but the direction is clear. There is a growing trust in her own voice and a willingness to follow where it leads.
For those considering Edible Abstraction with Take Two, Kimberly offers a grounded, generous perspective.
If there is hesitation, she encourages artists not to let it hold them back. Whether you are new to abstraction or simply looking for new ways to approach your work, the course offers an accessible, deeply engaging way in.
She speaks highly of Nicola Bennett as a teacher, describing her as generous, inspiring, and genuinely committed to her students. The depth of the course content means there is always more to return to, and for Kimberly, it is something she intends to revisit.
Most importantly, she frames the decision not as a risk but as an investment.
An investment in curiosity, in growth, and in the future version of yourself as an artist.