Joan Benefiel

Practicing figurative sculptor focused on luminous resin and bronze work: Joan has built a national exhibition and public-art practice around figurative forms cast in translucent resin ("Cast in Light") and bronze; she regularly produces large‑scale public installations (Hoodoos, Breathe) and museum/campus commissions. joanbenefiel+3

Studio founder and fabricator with technical expertise in large‑scale casting: As founder/partner of Figuration Studio, Benefiel combines hands‑on foundry/casting experience with studio management to fabricate complex resin and bronze works and to deliver installations nationwide, often collaborating with industrial partners (e.g., Smooth‑On) for material innovation. figurationstudio+2

Community‑focused arts leader and nonprofit program manager: In addition to her studio practice, Joan has led arts programming and community service initiatives — from directing the Greenpoint Hunger Program to managing visual‑arts services for Salina Arts & Humanities and, more recently, event and partnership work at Lenox Hill Neighborhood House — showing an ability to bridge public art, community need, and program operations. greenpointers+2

Formally trained in figurative sculpture with broad arts education: Benefiel holds an MFA in sculpture from the New York Academy of Art and a BA in Women's Studies from the University of Kansas, supplementing studio practice with coursework at institutions such as Parsons, the Art Students League, and the School of Visual Arts. nyaa+2