Author Archives: Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

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About Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

I'm a French artist living near Paris. From 1968 to 1973 I studied at Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, Rhode Island, then at the San Francisco Art Institute in San Francisco, California, for my BFA. My work for many decades has been informed and inspired by time spent with indigenous communities. Various study trips devoted to the exploration of techniques and natural pigments took me originally to the Dogon of Mali, West Africa, and subsequently to Yanomami communities in Venezuela and Brazil. Over many years, during the winters, I studied the techniques of traditional Bogolan painting. Hand woven fabric is dyed with boiled bark from the Wolo tree or crushed leaves from other trees, then painted with mud from the Niger river which oxidizes in contact with the dye. Through the Dogon and the Yanomami, my interest in the multiplicity of techniques and supports for aesthetic expression influenced my artistic practice. The voyages to the Amazon Rainforest have informed several series of paintings created while living among the Yanomami. The support used is roughly woven canvas prepared with acrylic medium then textured with a mixture of sand from the river bank and lava. This supple canvas is then rolled and transported on expeditions into the forest. They are then painted using a mixture of acrylic colors and Achiote and Genipap, the vegetal pigments used by the Yanomami for their ritual body paintings and on practical and shamanic implements. My concern for the ongoing devastation of the Amazon Rainforest has inspired my films and installation projects. Since 2005, I've created a perfomance and film project - Fire Sculpture - to bring urgent attention to Rainforest issues. To protest against the continuing destruction, I've publicly set fire to my totemic sculptures. These burning sculptures symbolize the degradation of nature and the annihilation of indigenous cultures that depend on the forest for their survival.

Jornadas Nacionais dos Ateliers Abertos dos Artistas da França 2026 – 2, 3 e 4 de outubro: Entre no meu mundo amazônico!

Posted on September 23, 2026 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

2, 3 e 4 de outubro de 2026Como parte das Jornadas Nacionais dos Artistas da França, abrirei as portas do meu ateliê e do meu mundo amazônico das 17h30 às 21h. Há muitas décadas, minhas pinturas, esculturas, filmes, fotografias e … Continue reading →

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Jornadas Nacionales de los Artistas 2026, los días 2, 3 y 4 de octubre: ¡adéntrate en mi universo amazónico!

Posted on September 20, 2026 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

2, 3 y 4 de octubre de 2026En el marco de las Jornadas Nacionales de los Artistas de Francia, abriré las puertas de mi estudio y de mi mundo amazónico de 17:30 a 21:00.Durante muchas décadas, mis pinturas, esculturas, películas, … Continue reading →

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As part of France’s National Artists’ Days on October 2, 3, and 4, 2026, I will be opening the doors of my studio and my Amazonian world…Please come visit!

Posted on September 19, 2026 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

On October 2, 3 & 4 2026As part of France’s Journées Nationales des Artistes, I will be opening the doors of my studio and my Amazonian world from 5.30 p.m. to 9 p.m. For many decades, my paintings, sculptures, films, … Continue reading →

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Journées Nationales des Artistes 2026 les 2, 3 et 4 octobre : entrez dans mon univers amazonien !

Posted on September 18, 2026 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

À l’occasion des Journées Nationales des Artistes, j’ouvrirai les portes de mon atelier et de mon univers consacré à l’Amazonie les 2, 3 et 4 octobre 2026, de 17 h 30 à 21 h. Depuis plusieurs décennies, mes peintures, sculptures, … Continue reading →

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Planting Seeds of Wonder! « Amazon Rainforest Magic, The adventures of Yarima, a Yanomami girl » – For ages 8 to 12 to 100! – written and illustrated by Barbara Crane Navarro – SECOND EDITION! All three books of the series are NOW ON KINDLE, TOO!

Posted on June 26, 2026 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

An illustration from Amazon Rainforest Magic, the adventures of Yarima, a Yanomami girl « Amazon Rainforest Magic, the adventures of Yarima, a Yanomami girl, is an unforgettable story that brings the rainforest and its creatures to life for young readers. Through adventure, wonder, … Continue reading →

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A Colorful Adventure with a Meaningful Twist! « Amazon Rainforest Magic, The adventures of Yarima, a Yanomami girl » – For ages 8 to 12 to 100! – written and illustrated by Barbara Crane Navarro – SECOND EDITION! All three books of the series are NOW ON KINDLE, TOO!

Posted on June 25, 2026 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

An illustration from Amazon Rainforest Magic, the adventures of Yarima, a Yanomami girl « This beautifully illustrated children’s book brings the Amazon Rainforest vividly to life, highlighting both its wonder and its fragility. Through an imaginative and engaging story, it … Continue reading →

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Beautiful Art, Adventure, and a Message That Matters! « Amazon Rainforest Magic, The adventures of Yarima, a Yanomami girl » – For ages 8 to 12 to 100!  – written and illustrated by Barbara Crane Navarro – SECOND EDITION! All three books of the series are NOW ON KINDLE, TOO!

Posted on June 24, 2026 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

An illustration from Amazon Rainforest Magic, the adventures of Yarima, a Yanomami girl « Barbara Navarro’s children’s book is a beautifully illustrated and engaging story set in the Amazon Rainforest. It follows a brave young Yanomami girl, Yarima, as she teams … Continue reading →

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Une histoire inoubliable ! – « La Magie de l’Amazonie Les aventures de Yarima, une fille Yanomami » – Pour les 8 à 12 à 100 ans! – écrit et illustré par Barbara Crane Navarro – Les trois livres de la séries sont MAINTENANT sur KINDLE AUSSI !

Posted on June 23, 2026 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

illustration tirée de « La Magie de l’Amazonie Les aventures de Yarima, une fille Yanomami » « J’ai découvert ce livre lors d’une journée portes ouvertes dans un atelier, et il est rapidement devenu l’un de mes préférés. L’histoire est magnifiquement écrite, … Continue reading →

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A Story That Stays With You! – « Amazon Rainforest Magic, The adventures of Yarima, a Yanomami girl » – For ages 8 to 12 to 100!  – written and illustrated by Barbara Crane Navarro – SECOND EDITION! All three books of the series are NOW ON KINDLE, TOO!

Posted on June 22, 2026 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

An illustration from Amazon Rainforest Magic, the adventures of Yarima, a Yanomami girl « I discovered Barbara Navarro’s children’s book during an open studio event, and it quickly became a family favorite!The story is beautifully written, weaving magic and heart into … Continue reading →

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The Lost Worlds of the Tepuis!

Posted on June 21, 2026 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

Venezuela’s tepuis are true “islands in the sky.”Isolated for millions of years, they shelter extraordinary species found nowhere else on Earth.From tiny frogs to carnivorous plants, each summit is a living world of its own!A reminder that nature’s imagination is … Continue reading →

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