Kayleigh Peters is a recent graduate Ceramic Artist from West Sussex from her home-based studio her work envelops the deep connection to material and the body, explored through the contrast of ceramic form and defective glaze surfaces. As a mature student Kayleigh attained a First-Class honour bachelor’s degree from the University of Brighton in 3D design and Craft. Following the University of Brighton Degree Show Kayleigh’s work has been exhibited most recently at New Designers 2021 and the Global Design Graduate Show 2021. Kayleigh finds herself searching to find what it means to be a woman and that space she inhabits through the object and to empower a sense of self. The vessel is synonymous with the body and ceramics and through exploration of putting form before function, her visual language connects the idea of reducing the body to a shape.

Through defective glazes she exposes what is hidden on to the surface, through this act of showing them in full display and finding the beauty in the difficult. Describing her work as ‘an act of quiet activism’, she seeks to encourage conversation and engagement around the taboo subject of hidden illnesses of the uterus. The aim of her work; to encourage visibility and the fight for better research within the medical industry. For Kayleigh, gynaecological health has become part of her identity and has defined who she has become. Finding connections with objects is a humanistic quality and Kayleigh uses this to unite people through their struggles. In seeking common ground to stand on, whilst knowing we are all unique, but allowing those with hidden struggles to bring the issues to the surface there can be unity, pushing social change through craft.