When Italian artist Massimo Lunardon needs inspiration, he lets his mind and body wander. "I like to get lost in old libraries, walk into local markets, and visit the hidden places of the European capitals," he says, citing Le Marais in Paris and Portobello Road in London.

It's this come-what-may attitude that inspires his handcrafted glassware, too, pushing him to play with form and artistic conventions as he envisions a new piece. But once he begins the crafting process, he seeks what he calls a strict symbiosis with what he's making: "When I start to create a new piece, I completely isolate myself from everything that surrounds me," he says. But "the thrill in seeing a new piece take shape" is always worth it.