Chasing the Green Fairy: A Vintage Absinthe Bottle Gets a Modern Makeover
I’m about to seriously date myself here, but roughly 24 years ago (May 2001), I took a trip to Prague while living and working in London. My friend and I explored the city, and one of our adventures involved acquiring a bottle of absinthe.
Absinthe
Absinthe, also known as “chasing the Green Fairy” due to its distinctive green hue, is an alcoholic beverage once rumored to have hallucinogenic properties. While those claims have since been debunked, the mystique surrounding this drink remains.
I brought my full bottle of absinthe back to New Zealand, and it became a bit of a novelty item. Over the years, I’d occasionally have a sip, particularly at my 30th birthday party (which, by the way, was about 20 years ago!).
Today, I’m taking that vintage bottle and giving it a modern twist. Inspired by a viral trend, I’m going to smash the bottle, arrange the pieces, and encase them in resin to create a unique piece of art. This will hopefully become something I can hang on my wall, or perhaps even sell.
Here’s the dusty, but soon-to-be-transformed, bottle of absinthe. It still had a tiny bit of the original liquid left, but after 20+ years, I decided against drinking it. I poured it out, noticing the faint bluey-green color that gives absinthe its nickname.
Prague itself was an incredible city. The people were wonderful, the architecture was stunning, and the whole experience was unforgettable. It certainly helped that I was earning in British pounds at the time, and the exchange rate was in my favor. We lived like royalty for a few days while exploring Prague.
Before we dive into the smashing and crafting, if you’re new here, my name is Andy, and I create all sorts of art. My primary focus is resin art, but I’m always exploring new mediums and techniques. If you’re interested in seeing more of my work, please like and subscribe!
First things first, this bottle needs a good cleaning. It’s been sitting in the garage and is covered in dust. A quick wipe-down reveals the bottle’s beautiful shape and the “Hills Quality Spirits since 1920” label. Some of the label glue has deteriorated, and the Czech writing is indecipherable to me. This bottle is nearly 24 years old.
Smashing the Bottle
Now for the fun part! I’ve got a plastic bag to contain the glass shards. While some people use a plastic container for this, I’m opting for a towel-wrapped approach. This will hopefully prevent the glass from scattering too much when I give it a good whack. I’ve chosen a spot on the corner and another near the bottom of the bottle as my target areas.
Okay, time to smash this bottle!
Wow, that didn’t take much! I was worried some absinthe had spilled, but it turns out it was just some similarly colored resin I had lying around.
Now comes the delicate part: arranging the pieces.
I think this looks pretty good! This will be my layout. Next, I’ll pour the resin over the glass and clean up the remaining shards.
Here’s the finished piece!
Check out the video where you can watch me go through all the steps.