ABOUT THE LIDDED POT; RAKU IS AS MUCH ABOUT THE LOOK OF THE GLAZING AS IT IS ABOUT THE SHAPE OF THE PIECE. THIS IS WHEEL THROWN WITH WHITE CONE 6 CLAY. "GRANNY SMITH " RAKU GLAZE WAS USED. THE RED AREA ON THIS POT IS WHERE THE FIRE WAS DIRECTLY ON THE POT. THIS RED AREA DOESNT HAPPEN EVERY POT SO IT IN ITSELF IS SOMEWHAT UNIQUE. THE HANDLES WERE NOT GLAZED. THE CARBON FROM THE FIRE CAUSED THE WHITE CLAY TO BECOME TOTALLY BLACK WITHOUT GLAZE ON THEM SO IN RAKU THERE IS NO NEED FOR BLACK GLAZING IF YOU WANT A BLACK MATTE FINISH. THE PROCESS: USING WHITE CONE 6 CLAY I FORMED THIS POT ON THE WHEEL . AFTER DRYING WELL IT WAS GLAZED AND PUT IN A RAKU KILN FOR 45 MINUTES . WHEN ORANGE HOT ABOUT 1200 DEGREES IT WAS TAKEN OUT AND PUT IN A METAL TRASH CAN WITH OAK LEAVES . THE HIGH HEAT OF THE POT SETS THE LEAVES ON FIRE. THE LID WAS PUT ON . IT WAS LEFT THERE FOR 5 MINUTES THEN THE POT IS REMOVED AND PUT IN A TUB OF WATER TO COOL. AS THEY SAY, THE BEST PART IS FOR LAST WHICH IS SEEING WHAT YOU HAVE! FROM PIECE TO PIECE THERE ARE ALWAYS MANY VARIANCES IN COLOR AND CRACKLING THAT MAKE THAT PIECE TOTALLY UNIQUE.