Cavedigger

One of his clients describes him as the sandstone equivalent of a cocaine addict and watching the now sixty-five year old Ra Paulette excavate and decorate his caves entirely from scratch, that seems quite an apt description. Using a startling lack of technology, he sets about creating intricately d ... esigned structures that are like sand castles, only in reverse. These go downwards. It’s fair to say that this man is self-motivated and so some of his commissioners have been less than impressed with his more individualistic approach to his work (on their land, and/or with their cash), but he seems to always have been able to retain a degree of friendship even if the project wasn’t quite completed on schedule or at all. I must admit that watching this, I did wonder what might happen to his creations should it rain? The ease with which he cuts through the sandstone gives what he creates an appearance of the temporary; that a torrent of rain could easily wash away. This man is a skilful designer, part architect and part structural engineer, who is entirely self-taught and who relies upon his own graft and creativity to conjure up some sculptures that are impressive to look at. Personally, his designs are a little too ornate for my taste, but there’s no doubting this a talented man entirely at home for hours on end with just his dog, his wide-brimmed hat and his pick axe, and this is worth half an hour. read more