Raku, a process originating in Japan and long associated with the tea ceremony, is an interactive process I enjoy.. My raku ware is pulled with long-handled tongs from a red-hot kiln (1850 degrees F.) and placed in a container filled with shredded newspaper. Allowed to burn for several seconds, a lid is then placed over the container to allow the ware to be smoked. The reduced oxygen atmosphere allows for many colorful variations and markings.
The lid handles on my work are fashioned from driftwood (predominantly redwood from the Northern California coast). I sometimes embellish the wood with a stone or metal piece.