Strolling past the ALM Gallery in Sydney’s leafy Potts Point precinct, murky-hued vessels glisten in the dappled afternoon light. Bulbous of base, with elegantly flared necks, their swirly, earthy-hued surfaces appear at first glance to be made from ceramic. But look again: that luminosity would be impossible with clay – the pieces are, in fact, mouth-blown glass.

“I’d been working with ceramic for some time, and was loving it,” says designer Martyn Thompson, “but I feel like ceramic has become incredibly popular. So, glass offered me the possibility to experiment and shift the conversation somewhat.”