Very nice online article (including pictures) about Naked Raku.
Click Here to Read

Excerpt:
"Downing begins by throwing the pot and then, using black basalt stones gathered on the beach in front of her studio on Lake Superior, burnishes them until they gleam.
The pot is then covered with a slip and bisque-fired.
Next, depending on the process she’s using for that particular piece, the pot is dipped into a special glaze, or it is put directly into a kiln until it’s almost red hot. Then it’s removed with tongs and placed inside a large pail filled with sawdust and paper.
The heat ignites it immediately and a lid is clamped on it to keep in the smoke.
Ten minutes later, the pot, which is still too hot to touch, is plunged into a snow drift (in winter), and if all goes well, the glazes and slips begin falling off, revealing spectacular designs underneath. " - Cook County News 2005
P.S.