Ra Paulette learned how to dig when he was working in Dixon, New Mexico in 1985. He was digging outhouses and building wells there. But Ra had a longing to do something more artistic. A short time later he found his perfect medium, the sandstone cliffs of northern New Mexico (map).

In 1987, he completed his first work of art, a cave he called the ‘Heart Chamber.’ He carved it out of a cliff with only hand tools over a couple of years near Taos, New Mexico. Soon many people were drawn to the artistic beauty of the cave. It became something like a shrine. In fact, so many people were coming, Ra decided to fill it in. He thought the crowds would damage the delicate natural environment around the cave and there were safety issues too.

Since that time, Ra has created 14 caves. The Ra Caves, as they are often called, are spectacular. They have been compared to the works of Gaudi because of their smooth curves and the the interplay of light and shadow.

Thanks to a documentary released recently about Ra’s caves, he is finally becoming known outside of New Mexico. The Documentary is called Cavedigger and could get an Oscar nomination next year.

If you are interested, there is one cave for sale now. It is on a 208-acre property in New Mexico. The price is just under one million dollars.