‘Craft in America:’ Back-to-back episodes

Friday, December 19 at 8 p.m. Watch both episodes of this new season for free on the PBS app ahead of the December 19, 2025, broadcast.

‘East’

Explore the intersection of history, culture and contemporary craft in the eastern region of the U.S. As a nation of immigrants, these American stories, from fabric flower factory to a silversmith to a potter and more, highlight the diverse expressions behind modern craft. Featuring M&S Schmalberg, Bisa Butler, Colette Fu, Roberto Lugo, Ubaldo Vitali, Paul Revere House and Helena Hernmarck.

We meet fiber artist Bisa Butler at her studio in Jersey City, New Jersey. Butler creates remarkable quilted portraits that tell stories of African American life, taking inspiration from historical photos and family history.

In Philadelphia, Colette Fu opens a giant pop-up book, revealing an intricate scene made from her
photographs and cut paper. As the daughter of Chinese immigrants, the pop-up books and sculptures she crafts are inspired by Chinese American history and her travels in Yunnan Province, China, where her
mother is from.

Watch ‘Craft in America: East’ to explore more history of eastern craft.

‘West’

Celebrate the continuum of heritage and the handmade, taking inspiration from the landscape, history and culture of the American west. Working across cowboy arts, Hawaiian indigenous practices and Native American handwork, the artists show how traditional craft can be revived, reworked and reinvented today.

We meet bootmaker Graham Ebner in Austin, Texas, where he crafts bespoke cowboy boots. He uses
traditional bookmaking techniques paired with his creative and original style to tell stories through his
custom, high-quality boots.

In Honolulu, Hawaii, we are introduced to Native Hawaiian artists who are committed to keeping indigenous practices alive through their work. These artists and institutions include culture bearer and fiber artist Marques Hanalei Marzan, feather artist Kawika Lum-Nelmida, Cissy Serrao and Rae Correia of the Poakalani quilters, the Bishop Museum and the Hōkūleʻa ocean voyaging canoe.

Watch ‘Craft in America: West’ to explore more history of western craft.