Deneece Harrell

"Questioning, searching, and wrestling with ideas of purpose, identity, and worth drive my creative process. Experiences layer, fusing the unexpected and predictable, the uncontrolled and intentional. The juxtapositions that create the story of our lives are reflected in my sculptural porcelain vessels. I am learning to see and to treasure life, shaped by beauty in the hands of love."

Deneece Harrell explores the symbolic analogical conversations of self-reflection, beauty, renewal, and joy through her work. The torn, unglazed surface of porcelain juxtaposed with gold leaf hosts the dialog used to capture the movement and tension of fragility and strength in surfaces. Her work documents experiences of loss and pain interwoven with inexpressible joy and fulfillment.

Each piece evolves intuitively as she begins to manipulate the porcelain clay, revealing its inner dialogue. The marred, smoothed, stretched, and torn individual sections inspire her to explore the limits of the medium, documenting situations outside of her control and moments of spontaneous freedom. Her pieces reflect inner beauty, restoration, and the philosophy of kintsugi, using gold leaf and custom gold composite.

Harrell launched her ceramic studio and began participating in juried exhibitions, from local to international, in September of 2019. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida, College of Architecture in Interior Design. Teaching visual art, participating in international, national, and local ceramic workshops, mentoring, and professional affiliations continue to inform her process.