In the 1980s, there was a famous "singles bar" in Venice Beach, California, called Merlin McFly's. The owner commissioned Bonny Doon Studios in Santa Cruz to create stained glass windows. According to the Los Angeles Times, McFly's became not just "a magnet for Westside singles, but soon also began drawing stained glass enthusiasts from throughout the country." Merlin McFly's closed its doors in 1992.

This round-shaped art glass window is richly detailed and is divided into multiple sections, each filled with symbolic elements and vibrant colors. The predominant figure within this circle represents The Alchemist, liken to Hermes Trismegistus, often seen as both a scientist and mystic in historical contexts, who sought to turn base metals into noble ones like gold and to discover the elixir of life.

The Alchemist has the distinguished features of an elderly man with a robust, curling beard and a full mane of hair, suggesting the traditional image of a wise man or sage. His face is partially obscured by shadow, lending him an air of mystery and intrigue, which is fitting for someone engaged in the secretive practices of alchemy. He appears to be gazing intently at something out of view, perhaps contemplating a profound mystery or observing the results of his experiments.

Surrounding the Alchemist are various elements that could be interpreted as alchemical symbols. There's a moon, denoting the alchemical symbol for silver and the passive principle in alchemy; a flask, indicating the experimental aspect of the Alchemist's work; and potentially other symbols that may represent various substances or philosophical concepts central to alchemical thought.

The backdrop to the figure is composed of a complex array of flowers and floral patterns, hinting at the connection between alchemy and the natural world, as alchemists often sought to harness and understand nature's hidden laws and materials. Interspersed among the flowers are star-like shapes, which might indicate the alchemist's interest in astrology and the belief in a correspondence between celestial events and terrestrial life.

In the larger context, alchemy was a historical and legendary discipline that combined elements of chemistry, metallurgy, philosophy, and mysticism. Alchemists such as Hermes Trismegistus, the semi-mythical figure associated with Hermeticism, and actual historical practitioners like Paracelsus, who blended alchemical thought with medical innovation, have left a lasting legacy on the fields of science and the esoteric.

The intricate design and iconography within the image are evocative of the alchemical pursuit of knowledge and transformation—not just of materials but of the self. In literature and art, alchemy has often been used as a metaphor for artistic creation and personal growth, symbolizing the journey from ignorance to enlightenment and the transformation of the mundane into the sublime.