Jemez Pueblo

 

Esther Cajero, “Bird Image”, member of the Fire Clan, was born into the Jemez Pueblo in 1944. She signed up for a pottery class in college and that’s where her interest in pottery making was sparked. In 1980 she started experimenting with pottery again, while watching her Grandmother, Petra C. Romero, hand coil her pottery.

Esther specializes in handmade storytellers, clay sculptures, and can hand coil pottery. She digs up her own clay, mixes, shapes, paints, and fires her pottery the traditional way, outdoors. Esther uses all natural clays and natural paints. Sometimes Esther will accent her storytellers with a parasol to add a little flare. She customizes to special orders upon request. Esther signs her pottery as: E. Cajero, Bird Image, Jemez, followed by a title which she calls her figurines. Esther is related to the following artists: Joe V. Cajero, Jr. (son), and Gabriel Cajero (nephew).

Awards:
-Santa Fe Indian Market
-Heard Museum Art Show
-Colorado Indian Market
-Red Earth Indian Market
-Santa Monica Indian Market

Publications:
-Southern Pueblo Pottery 2,000 Artist Biographies
-Storytellers and Other Figurative Pottery