The Artist Is In
The Artist Is In is a podcast where real, honest conversations about art, creativity, and becoming come to life. Hosted by abstract artist Kat Collins and co-host abstract and collage artist Nina Boodhansingh, this show is a welcoming space for artists at every stage of the journey—whether you're just starting out, deep in the messy middle, or finding your way back to the canvas.
Each episode dives into the heart of what it means to live a creative life. Through thoughtful interviews and two artists reflections, The Artist Is In explores the beauty, grit, doubt, joy, and transformation that shape our art and our stories. You’ll hear from emerging and seasoned artists, makers, and creative souls who are willing to pull back the curtain and share the truth behind their process—the pivots, the breakthroughs, the quiet victories, and the lessons learned along the way.
With themes that invite you to let go, to evolve, to listen to your intuition, and to trust your own becoming, this podcast isn’t about finding the "right" path—it’s about discovering yours.
Whether you’re painting, walking, or simply catching your breath between life’s commitments, The Artist Is In is your invitation to join the conversation—to feel seen, supported, and reminded that you are already an artist because you create.
New episodes drop regularly and are always infused with curiosity, compassion, and a deep respect for the creative process.
Come find us at **www.katcollinsstudio.com/podcast**—because the artist is in, and you’re already part of the story. Episodes drop every other Thursday!
The Artist Is In
Where Earth Meets Fire: The Art of Letting Go with Deborah Slahta
Guest: Deborah Slahta
In this episode of The Artist Is In, ceramic artist Deborah Slahta joins me for a grounded and powerful conversation about process, patience, and the quiet courage it takes to let go. From the tactile rituals of working with clay to the unpredictable dance of heat and glaze in the kiln, Deborah shares how her practice has become both a discipline and a release. We talk about the space between control and surrender, the balance of structure and softness, and what it means to trust the transformation.
Whether you're drawn to clay, creativity, or the deeper lessons art can teach us about being human, this episode is a gentle reminder that sometimes, true beauty comes from the fire we’re willing to step into.
🎤 About Deb Slahta:
Deborah Slahta explores the vessel as a three-dimensional canvas, producing finely crafted raku and stoneware ceramics. Known for precise designs, she utilizes geometric constructions and patterned motifs on the surface of the pot. Additional work abandons the well-defined divisions of space; brushstrokes and multiple layers of glaze combine and flow to create a more painterly approach. She is a native of Hellertown, Pennsylvania, and is a lifelong resident of the Lehigh Valley.
While attending Moravian College, Deborah began a lifelong passion for clay, graduating in 1977 with a degree in Mathematics. Deborah has been a juried resident artist at the Banana Factory Arts Center, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, since May of 2000, where she taught ceramic classes for all ages. Her work has been exhibited in national and regional shows, including “PA Craft”; at the State Museum in Harrisburg, “Area Artists 2017” at Lehigh University, and is a participating artist at “Cocktails and Collecting” at the Allentown Art Museum.
Since the closure of the Banana Factory in 2024, she now works out of Juxtahub, a new Arts & Innovation Center located in Emmaus, PA.
Website: https://juxtahub.com/deborah-slahta/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057147352610
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EPISODE CREDITS
Produced and Hosted by Kat Collins and Nina Boodhansingh
Edited and Mixed by Kat Collins Studio
Artwork designed by Kat Collins Studio
LINKS
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Podcast: https://www.artistisin.com
Website: https://www.katcollinsstudio.com/podcast
