Nestled in the New Mexico desert, a treasure trove of natural caves awaits, brimming with wildlife and ancient rock formations.
Amidst this natural splendor, an artist has embarked on a unique journey, creating his own set of man-made caves.
Meet Ra Paulette, a sculptor who has dedicated 25 years to meticulously carving out elaborate caves in the sandstone.
These caves are not just empty spaces; they are adorned with detailed pictures and designs, each carefully thought out and executed.
Pauletteโs motivation is twofold: he aims to blend natural beauty with human artistry, and heโs captivated by the desertโs wild beauty, which he channels into his art.
โI see this as an environmental project,โ he explains. โIโm trying to open up peopleโs feelings.โ
Pauletteโs creations may seem natural, but they are anything but haphazard.
He invests considerable thought into manipulating space and negative space, guiding the viewerโs gaze to various focal points and balancing sensations of closeness and expansiveness.
โIt has a lot to do with the juxtaposition of opposites,โ Paulette notes.
โThe sense of being underground with light streaming in. The intimacy of being in a cave, yet the columns end up very large, sometimes 30, 40 feet high.โ
This passion project has certainly not gone unnoticed.
Many of his cave designs are commissioned by locals who are enamored with his work and desire their own beautiful cave space.
Some of Pauletteโs designs even include furniture, wooden floors, and electricity.
One commission boasts a colorfully-tiled bathroom with running water, showcasing how Pauletteโs touch has transformed the simplicity of the caves into something more elaborate.
Remarkably, Paulette has no formal training in design, architecture, or sculpture.
His breathtaking skills are self-taught, fueled by his passion.
Despite spending years on these intricate designs, he remains modest in his pricing.
For instance, one โapartmentโ took two years to complete, yet he charged only $12 an hour. โYou donโt do this for the money,โ Paulette says.
โYouโre not getting rich off of making these beautiful places. No, itโs the process. You know, Iโm having the time of my life.โ
For Paulette, the real joy lies in the act of creation.
Once a project is finished, he hands it over to others and moves on to his next โsource of wonder.โ
However, Pauletteโs work remained relatively unknown until a documentary filmmaker discovered him.
The resulting documentary, โCavedigger,โ took three years to film and earned an Academy Award nomination.
Following the release of the documentary, demand for Pauletteโs work skyrocketed.
Two of his caves, along with the surrounding land, were even listed for sale at nearly a million dollars, marking a significant shift for the humble stone carver.
Despite this newfound fame and potential wealth, Paulette remained focused on his art.
His next project, for the first time, involved both painting and sculpting.
He referred to it as his magnum opusโa larger cave intended as a gathering place and retreat, where people could experience what Paulette most hoped to convey through his work: peace.
Ra Pauletteโs journey from a solitary artist to a celebrated creator is a testament to the power of passion and the beauty of merging art with nature.
See these incredible caves in the video below!
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