Fashioning Hope From Clay

A dozen people gathered in the great room of Newtown Congregational Church on Saturday, February 4, where under the tutelage of local polymer clay artist Tracy Van Buskirk they fashioned Bottles of Hope from colorful plastic-based clay.

The Bottles of Hope Project was started in 1999 by Diane Gregoire, a cancer survivor and polymer clay artist. While undergoing treatment for her cancer, Ms Gregoire began using polymer clay to decoratively cover tiny glass medical bottles. She passed them on to other cancer patients as a symbol of hope. Positive messages, life-affirming thoughts, words of comfort and words of prayer are written on tiny pieces of paper that are tucked into each bottle before it is given away.

Ms Van Buskirk is a member of the Southern Connecticut Polymer Clay Guild and has led several workshops and demonstrations across the state in the art of polymer clay, particularly the Bottles of Hope Project. She became involved in the project five years ago for two reasons, she said.

“Bottles of Hope came into my guild through Diane Gregoire, when she actually asked our guild to participate. We had no charity program at the time, and it seemed perfect for us.” Her second reason is of a more personal nature. “I became national coordinator for Bottles of Hope when I lost my mother to cancer in 2001.”

Ms Van Buskirk is proud that the simple gesture has spread not only nationwide, but internationally as well.

“Australia, England, Canada, Brazil, and Macedonia all have Bottles of Hope programs,” she said.

Participants at Saturday’s workshop listened attentively as Ms Van Buskirk explained the simple process of rolling out thin sheets of clay to wrap about the bottles, which ranged in size from 1½ to 4 inches tall. Demonstrating several techniques used to further decorate the miniature vessels, she pointed out that no prior artistic talent was required to create a successful Bottle of Hope. True enough, within two hours the class had turned out more than 50 unique creations.

Some of those present were cancer survivors; some had family members or friends whose lives had been touched by the disease, while others, such as 12-year-old Reid Higham, said, “I just like to help people.”

Many of the Bottles of Hope created Saturday were taken home by participants to be given to personal acquaintances. The others will be delivered to the Praxair Center of Danbury Hospital and to Ann’s Place in Danbury for distribution to cancer patients. Bottles of Hope are never sold, Ms Van Buskirk emphasized.

“Diane felt it was a way for people to connect one on one by the giving of these bottles, and that anyone who wants one, should get one,” she said.

“Everyone knows someone who has been touched by cancer,” said Mary Davis of Sandy Hook as she decorated her bottle. “You can’t get away from it, and this is just one little way to help.”