A man spends 25 years sculpting the inside of a cavern, slowly turning it into a spectacular work of art

by Shirley Marie Bradby

May 15, 2019

A man spends 25 years sculpting the inside of a cavern, slowly turning it into a spectacular work of art
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Confucius said, "Do what you love and you won't work a single day in your life".

This Chinese philosopher's proverb applies to all those who have been lucky enough or have had the courage to dedicate their existence to something they are passionate about!

This is a state of grace that almost leads to never feeling fatigued and transforms a profession into a true act of love.

Evidence of this is Ra Paulette, who for over 25 years, has been transforming sandstone caves in New Mexico into works of art.

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CBS Sunday Morning/YouTube

CBS Sunday Morning/YouTube

Ra Paulette has chosen to spend almost three decades alone, in southwest North America, in one of the states, namely New Mexico, famous for the Rocky Mountains, known as the Rockies, a major mountain range.

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CBS Sunday Morning/YouTube

CBS Sunday Morning/YouTube

With only his dog to keep him company, he spends all his time hidden in the belly of the Earth, sculpting the sandstone walls and transforming them into masterpieces of unimaginable beauty.

CBS Sunday Morning/YouTube

CBS Sunday Morning/YouTube

Michelangelo affirmed that every granite block of stone already hides a statue in itself, and man limits himself only to eliminating the superfluous to make it come to light.

In this case, it is as if Ra Paulette has done the same thing but by revealing the true soul of the sandstone cave walls from the inside.

CBS Sunday Morning/YouTube

CBS Sunday Morning/YouTube

Looking at the results, it seems incredible that it was done by one person, and furthermore, he does not use any machinery, only hand tools such as shovels, ice picks, and chisels.

CBS Sunday Morning/YouTube

CBS Sunday Morning/YouTube

Ra Paulette is the human manifestation of the classical drop of water that over time breaks down rocks, with his inexhaustible patience and above all with a love that goes beyond any sense of duty.

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CBS Sunday Morning/YouTube

CBS Sunday Morning/YouTube

Re Paulette, now 70 years old, has never studied engineering or architecture. Consequently, what he has done and is still doing is all the result of an innate talent refined and perfected over time as a self-taught person.

CBS Sunday Morning/YouTube

CBS Sunday Morning/YouTube

Entering those sandstone caves and grottos is like taking a journey into a magical world, where from every nook and surface, a myriad of geometric shapes, lines, and figures have been created that catch the eye and leave you speechless.

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CBS Sunday Morning/YouTube

CBS Sunday Morning/YouTube

Over 20 million people have viewed the fantastic images of these sandstone caves on the Internet, and many have had the joy of visiting and seeing his work in person, feeling like protagonists in a fairy tale.

During his years of activity, Ra Paulette has decorated more than a dozen sandstone caves and intends to continue until he no longer has the health and energy to do so.

CBS Sunday Morning/YouTube

CBS Sunday Morning/YouTube

Few people in the world can say that they really love what they do or are able to leave everlasting evidence of their passage here on Earth, but Ra Paulette is the living example of those who have managed to do both!

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