Painting flavour with Nicola Bennett

Show Notes

Takeaways from this episode:

• Abstract art can begin with apricots.

  Nicola’s paintings don’t depict food – they respond to it. From the warmth of a ripe fruit to the textures of a seasonal dish, her creative process is rooted in the sensory richness of everyday ingredients. What could shift if you treated flavour as a creative spark?

• Drawing is more than representation.

  Through blind contour, tactile and experimental drawing, Nicola invites a reconnection with the body, senses and present moment. You don’t have to “get it right” to get into flow. Could letting go of the outcome open new doors in your practice?

• Colour is emotion in motion.

  For Nicola, colour is felt, not formulated. It’s intuitive, personal, and layered like a recipe – rarely used straight from the tube. Whether she’s working with fig reds or mushroom browns, her palette is a reflection of her own excitement. What colours make your mouth water?

• The painting knows the way.

  Nicola doesn’t plan her compositions. She listens. Through gestures, layers, and responding in the moment, she trusts the work to reveal itself. This kind of openness asks patience – and rewards it. Could you let the process lead you?

• Pleasure is a powerful teacher.

  Whether in cooking, painting or teaching, Nicola’s ethos is rooted in joy. Her advice? “Be comfortable with being uncomfortable… and just have heaps of fun.” What might you create if play was the priority?

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Explore the artwork from this episode below

During the live interview, we shared some images of Nicola’s artwork. Since you’re listening to the podcast version, we’ve made some images available for you below.