New Mexico jeweler Althea Cajero featured in PBS documentary 'America Made With Love'

Althea Cajero grew up on Santo Domingo Pueblo watching her mother work early mornings and late nights creating jewelry.

Oftentimes, she would gaze in awe of the intricate work. As she got older, Cajero began to work in galleries as art remained a driving force in her life.

“I always thought art wasn’t going to be something I was going to do,” she says. “I didn’t think I had the talent to do it.”

About 20 years ago, Cajero began to spend time with her now-husband, Joe, who is a sculptor and artist.

“We were friends back then and I would come visit him,” she recalls. “While I was with him, he would ask me to paint and water sand his sculptures. He saw the patience I had with his art pieces. He told me that I was an artist.”

Today, Cajero is a sought-after jeweler. She is the lone New Mexican to be featured in the documentary, “America Made With Love,” which airs at 10:30 p.m. Saturday, March 15, on World, channel 5.4. It will also stream on the PBS app.

According to PBS, the series journeys from coast-to-coast, spotlighting the ingenuity, vision and unparalleled talent of some of the nation’s most extraordinary artisans.

From a masterful cowboy bootmaker to a jewelry artist crafting pieces inspired by Indigenous ancestry, the stories celebrate creativity rooted in tradition and passion.

Whether sculpting handcrafted baseball bats, hammering copper, catching lobsters or perfecting the art of cheesemaking, these makers embody the essence of American innovation, craft and dedication.

Other featured artisans include milliner Jenny Pfanenstiel, who fashions hats to wear to the Kentucky Derby in Louisville, Kentucky; California winemakers Phil Long and his son Philip; cowboy bootmaker Steven Parker in Fort Worth, Texas; Washington National Cathedral stonemasons Joe Alonso and Brianna Castelli; Wisconsin coppersmith Sara Dahmen; baseball bat maker Zak Fellman; and Heather Strout-Thompson and her sons, who harvest lobsters in Maine.

Having filmed the segment months ago, Cajero is still shocked to be featured in the documentary.

“I don’t know how they found me,” she says. “I’m grateful they did. The experience was incredible. The crew showed up at 7:30 in the morning and filmed until about 2. I’m not one for being in front of the camera. They made me feel comfortable.”

Though Cajero’s journey in art started at a young age, she began to focus more on it as an adult.

She traveled twice a week to classes for Native American students in Pojoaque called Poeh Arts.

The class was with Fritz Casuse, an award-winning Navajo jeweler known for his highly complex handcrafted masterpieces. He is also a sculptor and brings this expertise to his jewelry making, creating highly dimensional and textured jewelry pieces that are fluid and full of movement.

“Having Fritz be my instructor was amazing,” Cajero says. “Though he wasn’t teaching cuttlefish bone casting, which is what I wanted to do.”

Cuttlefish bone casting, also known as cuttlefish casting, is a metalworking technique that utilizes the unique internal structure of a cuttlefish called a cuttlebone. The cuttlebone is light, porous and easy to carve, making it suitable for creating one-of-a-kind metal pieces. The ancient technique involves casting metal into the hollowed-out bone, with the bone serving as a mold for the molten metal.

“I watched the process and it was so beautiful,” she says. “The drawback is that it smells like hair burning.”

Cajero says over the years, she’s been inspired by her husband and they have both grown as artists.

“New Mexico culture is just amazing,” she says. “Being able to tell a piece of my story in the documentary is an opportunity to inspire others. I began art later in life and I’ve been able to keep at it. It’s a lesson that there is always time to find your passion and pursue your dreams.”

New Mexico jeweler Althea Cajero featured in PBS documentary 'America Made With Love'