Joe Cajero

Joe Cajero, Jr. was born in 1970 in Santa Fe, New Mexico and raised in the Pueblo of Jemez.

 He is a descendant of a long line of Pueblo artists, including his father, a painter, and his mother, Esther, a potter. As a child, Cajero would often accompany her to Indian art shows throughout the Southwest. On the road as well as in her small shop in Old Town, Albuquerque, the young Cajero learned from his mother, the business of marketing ones art and was challenged to try a creative form he never guessed he’d be known for today, clay and bronze sculpture. While growing up, Cajero also had the privilege of spending many hours with his maternal great-grandmother Petra Romero, listening to the wonderful stories she would tell of times gone by. Her stories provided him with a solid foundation in his traditional culture and it continues to influence the work he does today.

Cajero has been creating clay originals and limited edition bronze sculptures for more than 17 years now, including a few monumental commissions. He enjoys working with commercial clay and traditional Jemez clays, as well as, the process of selecting the patinas (colors), which are used in the finish of bronze sculptures. This has led to the opening of new creative doors for the artist. “It seems I’ve been developing my skills in clay to lead me to work in bronze, and working with bronze has enhanced my skills with natural clay.” He is also creating a line of jewelry castings inspired by images taken from his bronze sculptures. He is excited about the creative possibilities that each medium has to offer. Cajero resides with his wife in the small community of Placitas, New Mexico. In his free time he enjoys workouts, golfing, and camping trips.

“My creative energy is often spiritual in nature. Each of my sculptures invariably represent some aspect of praise and appreciation for life’s beauty. Since my Pueblo religion restricts the realistic unveiling of ceremonial life, the challenge is to use abstract art to represent the sacred; images that specifically capture a reflection of my spirituality and expressions of my intercession with the Creator.”