Jill Benfield

Graduate Student

Mental Health Counseling and Art Therapy

A native Floridian, Jill Benfield grew up in Satellite Beach. She moved north for college but stayed close to the coast as she earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts with a concentration in glass from Jacksonville University in 2005. Since then, she has traveled the U.S. and worked with some of the best glass artists in the country.

In 2013, Jill felt called back to the Space Coast, where she set up her own private glass casting studio in Melbourne. Jill loves making artwork, but she also enjoys helping people use creativity to access emotions, obtain self-awareness and find a path to healing. She is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Art Therapy and Mental Health Counseling. 

In the past year, she has also been co-facilitating “Artist Way” groups that support artists who are working through their own creative recovery journeys. When she’s not working in her studio or collaborating with other artists, Jill enjoys running, going to the beach, and spending time with her husband and three children, who inspire her to see creativity in the daily experiences of life.