When Magda Keaney approached eight pairs of glass artists and designers, most had never even met each other, much less worked together.

But the resulting exhibition, which is Ms Keaney's first curated show as the Canberra Glassworks newly appointed artistic director, proves that there is a synergy between glass and design powerful enough to transcend artistic shyness or uncertainty.

"To me, globally, there's this huge momentum around design, and energy around it, and it's being used in all different ways that isn't necessarily the most literal application of product design that we might have thought," she said.

"I think that's really exciting. With the expertise of Australian glass, I thought there was this incredible opportunity to create some new potential with some artists who are normally studio-based glass artists working in quite a specific way."

She created eight pairs of artists, only one of which – husband-and-wife team Kumiko Nakajima and John Quan - had worked together, and asked them to create a product for Glass X Design.

From bold, coloured pendant lights to graceful glass canisters, industrial-style table lamps and architectural brooches, the artists have all worked – some across borders and or almost entirely online – to come up with design solutions that show the boundless potential of both mediums.

And, considering the artists had just six months to create their works, the results were a pleasant surprise for Ms Keaney.

"Obviously we attempted to give them as much time as possible to actually work on their pieces, so I didn't see anything until recently. And each of them excited me," she said.

Some of the pieces are also accompanied by retro-style chalkboards showing drafts, plans or explanations of the work.

She was particularly pleased with the pendant lights by glass artist George Agius, based at Adelaide's Jam Factory, and Jason Bird, whose internationally recognised design studio is based in Brisbane.

"I know that Jason actually went down to the Jam Factory and spent time in the glass workshop with George, and she finished the blown components and sent them back up to Queensland," she said.

"They had processes of drawing and file-sharing on the net, and then Jason put them together and sent them down to us.

"Each of the pairs said it was a challenge when you live in different states. But I think how they've worked around that is quite fabulous, so I was glad that wasn't insurmountable for anyone."

Glass X Design is showing at Canberra Glassworks until January 25. There will be a gallery floor talk on the exhibition on Saturday November 22 at 2.00pm. The Glassworks studios will be open and artists present on Sunday November 23 as part of DESIGN Canberra's Living Artists program.