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.

A Wonderful book, a Treasure not to be missed! –  « 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 November 28, 2022 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

« A wonderful book, (and it comes with a companion volume)! The « Amazon Rainforest Magic » books are two treasures about the Yanomami, a rainforest tribe.“The Adventures of Nanowë, a Yanomami boy” and “The adventures of Meromi, a Yanomami girl” both explore … Continue reading →

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EUA pretendem sancionar desmatadores da Amazônia brasileira para fortalecer a luta contra as mudanças climáticas —

Posted on November 28, 2022 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

Por Gabriel Stargardter e Brad Haynes para a Reuters RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) – Os Estados Unidos estão tentando reprimir os criminosos ambientais por trás do aumento do desmatamento na Amazônia brasileira, usando penalidades como as sanções de Magnitsky para … Continue reading →

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Spectacled Bear Tremarctos ornatus — Palm Oil Detectives

Posted on November 28, 2022 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

Spectacled bears are known as the ‘peaceful and gentle bear’. They are the only bear living in the tropics of South America. Like many other animals in tropical ecosystems they are endangered. They get their name from their eye-catching markings … Continue reading →

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Una historia llena de sentido para niños y adultos – « 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 November 27, 2022 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

« La Magia de la Amazonia describe el viaje de un niño Yanomami a través de la selva amazónica para encontrar una cura para su hermana enferma. Encuentra animales y plantas parlantes que lo ayudan. El cuento está escrito en la línea … Continue reading →

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Giant Otter Pteronura brasiliensis — Palm Oil Detectives

Posted on November 27, 2022 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

The agile and graceful tumbling Olympians of the Amazonian rivers, Giant Otters are able to swim 100 metres in less than 30 seconds. They are also known as the Lobo de Rio (the River wolf), Los Lobos del Rio (Wolves … Continue reading →

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O legado botânico do colonialismo —

Posted on November 27, 2022 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

Plantas introduzidas pelos europeus mudaram permanentemente a biodiversidade nas suas colônias Os europeus carregaram sementes de plantas nas solas de seus sapatos por toda a América do Norte. Foto: xblickwinkel/F.xHeckerx Por Norbert Suchanek para o “Neues Deutschland” As potências coloniais … Continue reading →

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Une histoire significative pour les enfants et les adultes –  « La Magie de l’Amazonie Les aventures de Namowë, un garçon Yanomami » – Pour les 8 à 12 à 100 ans! – écrit et illustré par Barbara Crane Navarro

Posted on November 26, 2022 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

« La Magie de l’Amazonie décrit le voyage d’un garçon Yanomami à travers la forêt tropicale amazonienne pour trouver un remède pour sa sœur malade. Il rencontre des animaux et des plantes parlant qui l’aident. Le conte est écrit dans la … Continue reading →

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La légende huichole du cerf bleu — Peuples autochtones d’Abya Yala

Posted on November 26, 2022 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

image Voici la légende du cerf bleu, qui a donné le peyotl au peuple Huichol. Tout au long de l’histoire, diverses cultures ont eu recours aux plantes sacrées pour accéder à l’axe du monde, point de connexion entre le monde … Continue reading →

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Boycotts are a crucial weapon to fight environment-harming firms! — Palm Oil Detectives

Posted on November 26, 2022 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

Bill Laurance, James Cook University Campaigns and boycotts get the attention of large corporations, because they hit them where it hurts: their reputation and market share. In October 2000, I was driving through downtown Boise, Idaho, and nearly careered off … Continue reading →

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A Meaningful Story for Children and Adults – « Amazon Rainforest Magic, The adventures of Namowë, a Yanomami boy » – For ages 8 to 12 to 100!  – written and illustrated by Barbara Crane Navarro 

Posted on November 25, 2022 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

« Amazon Rainforest Magic describes the journey of a Yanomami boy through the Amazon rainforest to find a cure for his sick baby sister. He encounters talking animals and plants who help him. The book is written in the vein of “The … Continue reading →

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