Nina loads fish into a raku kiln and heats them until their glaze spots are liquid (about 1875°.)

She then opens the hot kiln, and with long-handled tongs, carefully lifts out each fish to a waiting bucket of burnable material.

She then quickly covers the bucket. Thus, extinguishing the fire. The smoke created by the hot objects sitting in combustibles turns the clay black and crackles the glazes.

Because of the opportunity for variation in Raku pottery, each fish is unique.