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.

In the heart of the tropical forest! – «Amazon Rainforest Magic The adventures of Meromi, a Yanomami girl» – For ages 8 to 12 to 100!  – written and illustrated by Barbara Crane Navarro

Posted on October 30, 2023 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

« A Christmas present this year, we spread the telling of this story over several evenings, reading it out loud. Our 8-year-old son couldn’t wait to hear what would come next.  This subject matter was new for him, and he was … Continue reading →

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Kaapori Capuchin Cebus kaapori — Palm Oil Detectives

Posted on October 30, 2023 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

The Kaapori capuchin is on a knife-edge of survival – they are critically endangered. In 2017 their population had been decimated by 80% due to deforestation for agriculture including soy, cattle grazing and palm oil. They are forgotten animals with … Continue reading →

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¡Aventuras chamánicas! – « La Magia de la Amazonia Las aventuras de Meromi, una niña Yanomami » – ¡Para edades de 8 a 12 a 100 años! – escrito e ilustrado por Barbara Crane Navarro

Posted on October 29, 2023 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

« Este segundo volumen de la serie La Magia de la Amazonia es tan encantador y atractivo como el primero. La historia continúa el hilo del libro anterior y los personajes parecen ser viejos amigos. Meromi, una niña Yanomami que ahora tiene 9 … Continue reading →

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Dwindling tropical rainforests mean lost medicines yet to be discovered in their plants — Palm Oil Detectives

Posted on October 29, 2023 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

About 80% of the world population relies on compounds derived from plants for medicines to treat various ailments, such as malaria and cancer, and to suppress pain. Our future medicines are likely to come from plants, but how effectively are … Continue reading →

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Aventures chamaniques ! – « La Magie de l’Amazonie, Les aventures de Meromi, une fille Yanomami » – Pour les 8 à 12 à 100 ans! – écrit et illustré par Barbara Crane Navarro

Posted on October 28, 2023 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

« Ce deuxième volume de la série Amazon Rainforest Magic est aussi charmant et engageant que le premier. L’histoire continue le fil du livre précédent et les personnages semblent être de vieux amis. Meromi, une fille Yanomami maintenant âgée de 9 … Continue reading →

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Assam Rabbit (Hispid Hare) Caprolagus hispidus

Posted on October 28, 2023 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project
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Shamanic adventures! – « Amazon Rainforest Magic The adventures of Meromi, a Yanomami girl » – For ages 8 to 12 to 100!  – written and illustrated by Barbara Crane Navarro

Posted on October 27, 2023 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

« This second volume of the Amazon Rainforest Magic series is a page-turner and as charming and delightful as the author’s first. The story line continues the thread from the previous book and the characters seem like old friends.  Meromi, a Yanomami girl … Continue reading →

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Quince Monitor (Banggai Island Monitor) Varanus melinus

Posted on October 27, 2023 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project
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¡Un libro maravilloso, un tesoro verdaderamente imperdible! – « La Magia de la Amazonia Las aventuras de Namowë, un niño Yanomami » – ¡Para edades de 8 a 12 a 100 años! – escrito e ilustrado por Barbara Crane Navarro

Posted on October 26, 2023 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

« ¡Un libro maravilloso (y con un volumen compañero)!Los libros «La Magia de la Amazonia» son dos tesoros sobre los Yanomami, una tribu de la selva tropical.“Las aventuras de Nanowë, un niño Yanomami” y “Las aventuras de Meromi, una niña Yanomami” … Continue reading →

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African Palm Civet Nandinia binotata — Palm Oil Detectives

Posted on October 26, 2023 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

African Palm Civets are vital seed dispersers in African forests they are persecuted for #bushmeat. They are also threatened by mining and #palmoil #deforestation in #Gabon #Liberia. Large tracts of rainforest where African palm civets live are threatened by commercial … Continue reading →

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