Inspired by the Venetian glass masters of Murano, internationally-renowned glass artist Nick Mount has always been mystified by the beauty of the complex craft.

“I’ve always been fascinated by the Italian techniques,” Mount says.

“There’s a real beauty in the free-flowing, lightweight, intricately patterned materials.

“I love that there is a cultural identity through a craft.”

You can find his delicate pieces in galleries throughout the world, but his real passion lies closer to home.

Since beginning his Adelaide studio in the early 1970s, Mount and his wife Pauline have looked to share their knowledge with young Australian talent.

“It’s great working with local people with good ideas who are willing and excited to collaborate,” Mount says.

“Pauline and I have been working like that since we started our studio, working towards resolutions with groups of people, especially local designers.”

Glassblower Nick Mount.

Lesley Williams is the latest creative to whom Mount has lent his expertise.

Together with the team at Botanica Boutique, she has crafted Sanctuary – a miniature terrarium for growing moss, suitable for the home or office.

“I started making terrariums for myself at home,” Williams says.

“With my background in industrial and furniture design, I started applying those principles to a little vessel that could look after moss itself.”

Williams’ “mossariums” are manufactured in Adelaide by Arkidelo, with coloured silicone and a clear acrylic top, allowing owners to watch a tiny moss garden come to life.

With a built-in reservoir and a lid, designed to create an internal water cycle, Sanctuary is a low-maintenance alternative to indoor plants, made to suit any climate.

A Kickstarter campaign to fund the project was launched on September 11, and has already surpassed its initial target of $30,000.

“It’s going nuts!” says Williams.

“Now that we’ve passed $30,000, we’ll be able to start offering the different designs as well, such as the Sanctuary Lux, which has a Carrara marble base.”

Williams is working with Mount on an exclusive upgrade to the standard Sanctuary, with a hand-blown, personally-signed glass lid and a cast concrete base replacing the acrylic and silicone components of the original.

This larger version of the standard Sanctuary has been limited to a run of only 15 pieces, and should be regarded as “fine art”, according to Williams.

“We couldn’t do anything out of glass by ourselves, so we approached the Jam Factory and they put us in touch with him [Mount],” Williams says.

“He invited us into his home; we got to sit down and talk about the design… he was amazing to work with.”

Mount is an internationally renowned glass artist.

The two met many years ago, while Williams was still in high school.

“In Year 10, I did work experience at the Jam Factory and I got to work with him,” Williams recalls.

“He said that he remembered me, but maybe he was just being polite!”

Mount’s glasswork for the Sanctuary project strays slightly from his artistic pieces, requiring both form and function, in the shape of the transparent glass lid.

“Having that teardrop shape really funnels the condensation down to the middle,” Williams says.

The distinctive teardrop funnels water back onto the moss.

“Nick was excellent at letting us drive the project and just offer his expertise as an amazing artist… he’s one of the best in the world.”

Mount says he was impressed with the business’s approach to working together.

“We like taking on jobs like this,” Mount says.

“Rather than just putting forward an idea, Botanica Boutique was keen to make a proper collaboration. They were easy to talk to and always happy to solve the design problems along the way.”

Taking on Adelaide-based commissions like Sanctuary, says Mount, allows him to contribute to the community and the development of industry – something in which he takes great pride.

“We involve a whole group of people who we’re intimately associated with on design and making.

“Our son-in-law Tim Hansford is a concrete guy, so he was able to do the mould and the casting for us, and Andrew Bartlett, who’s a woodworker, was able to turn the plugs.

“It works towards generating local hand skills and understanding of materials, which is what we’re all about.”