In the heart of Broad Ripple Village, behind the Red Room building, artist Rafael Caro has created an imaginative piece inspired by the sea and the human spirit.

This mural comes from the artist’s original concept of the “octo lady.” After numerous pencil and ink drawings of this concept, the woman transformed into what you see on the fence today. She lurks in the deep but always finds light wherever she goes, highlighted by the blue glow on her face and tentacles. Caro believes that The Octo Lady represents a deeper meaning: “no matter how deep you are in or how different you may look, life is beautiful and so are you.”

Rafael Caro is a local graphic designer, mural artist, and concept developer. Caro has been a mural artist since 2011 and received an associate’s degree in design and visual communications from Ivy Tech Community College in 2015.