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.

¡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 – ¡AHORA TAMBIÉN en KINDLE!

Posted on November 27, 2025 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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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 – MAINTENANT sur KINDLE AUSSI !

Posted on November 26, 2025 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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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 – NOW ON KINDLE, TOO!

Posted on November 25, 2025 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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¡En el corazón de la selva tropicale! – « 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 – ¡AHORA TAMBIÉN en KINDLE!

Posted on November 24, 2025 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

« Un regalo de Navidad este año, leemos partes de este cuento en voz alta durante varias noches. Nuestro hijo de 8 años estaba ansioso por escuchar lo que vendría. Este tema era nuevo para él y le fascinaba conocer los … Continue reading →

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Au coeur de la forêt tropicale ! – « 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 – MAINTENANT sur KINDLE AUSSI !

Posted on November 23, 2025 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

« Un cadeau de Noël cette année, nous avons lu des parties de ce conte à haute voix pendant plusieurs soirées. Notre fils de 8 ans était impatient d’entendre ce qui allait suivre. Ce sujet était nouveau pour lui et il … Continue reading →

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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 – NOW ON KINDLE, TOO!

Posted on November 22, 2025 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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¡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 – ¡AHORA TAMBIÉN en KINDLE!

Posted on November 21, 2025 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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Un livre merveilleux, un trésor à ne pas manquer ! – « 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 – MAINTENANT sur KINDLE AUSSI !

Posted on November 20, 2025 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

Les livres « La Magie de l’Amazonie » sont deux trésors sur les Yanomami, une tribu de la forêt tropicale.“Les Aventures de Nanowë, un garçon Yanomami” et “Les aventures de Meromi, une fille Yanomami” explorent toutes deux la magie de l’Amazonie à … Continue reading →

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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 – NOW ON KINDLE, TOO!

Posted on November 19, 2025 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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¡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 – ¡AHORA TAMBIÉN en KINDLE!

Posted on November 18, 2025 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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