Author Archives: Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

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.

Such valuable books to introduce young people to a beautiful culture and way of life! – « Amazon Rainforest Magic The adventures of Namowë, a Yanomami boy » – For ages 8 to 12 to 100! – written and illustrated by Barbara Crane Navarro – ALL THREE BOOKS IN THE SERIES NOW ON KINDLE, TOO!

Posted on April 9, 2026 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

illustration from « Amazon Rainforest Magic – The adventures of Meromi, a Yanomami girl » « Such valuable books to introduce young people to a beautiful culture and way of life!I have spent some time with your two books, admiring the beautiful and … 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 – ALL THREE BOOKS IN THE SERIES NOW ON KINDLE, TOO!

Posted on April 8, 2026 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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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 – ALL THREE BOOKS IN THE SERIES NOW ON KINDLE, TOO!

Posted on April 7, 2026 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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This book was a fun read aloud for my son! – « Amazon Rainforest Magic The adventures of Namowë, a Yanomami boy » – For ages 8 to 12 to 100! – written and illustrated by Barbara Crane Navarro – ALL THREE BOOKS IN THE SERIES NOW ON KINDLE, TOO!

Posted on April 6, 2026 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

« I read this aloud to my third grader for social studies as we’ve been learning about different cultures around the world.He is pretty picky about books and likes them to get interesting right at the start. This book was great … Continue reading →

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Engaging stories with enchanting illustrations! – « Amazon Rainforest Magic The adventures of Namowë, a Yanomami boy » – For ages 8 to 12 to 100! – written and illustrated by Barbara Crane Navarro – ALL THREE BOOKS IN THE SERIES NOW ON KINDLE, TOO!

Posted on April 5, 2026 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

illustration from « Amazon Rainforest Magic – The adventures of Namowë, a Yanomami boy » « Last year, I purchased the two « Amazon Rainforest Magic » books as a Christmas present for my nephew. Although my nephew is autistic, he can read if … Continue reading →

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An epic journey to a world filled with wonder and mischief! – « Amazon Rainforest Magic The adventures of Namowë, a Yanomami boy » – For ages 8 to 12 to 100! – written and illustrated by Barbara Crane Navarro – ALL THREE BOOKS IN THE SERIES NOW ON KINDLE, TOO! NOW ON KINDLE, TOO!

Posted on April 4, 2026 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

illustration from « Amazon Rainforest Magic – The adventures of Meromi, a Yanomami girl » « This book series transports the reader on an extraordinary, epic journey to a mystical world filled with wonder and mischief. Dangers threaten an ancestral paradise in … 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 – ALL THREE BOOKS IN THE SERIES NOW ON KINDLE, TOO!

Posted on April 3, 2026 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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A truly magical journey! – « Amazon Rainforest Magic, The adventures of Meromi, a Yanomami girl » – For ages 8 to 12 to 100! – written and illustrated by Barbara Crane Navarro – ALL THREE BOOKS IN THE SERIES NOW ON KINDLE, TOO!

Posted on April 2, 2026 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

« The second volume of the Amazon Rainforest Magic series recounts the surprising voyage of Meromi, a Yanomami girl who is swept into an unexpected adventure in the rivers and jungles of the Amazon. It is a truly magical journey for Meromi as … 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 – ALL THREE BOOKS IN THE SERIES NOW ON KINDLE, TOO!

Posted on April 1, 2026 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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A Fable with a Message – « Amazon Rainforest Magic The adventures of Namowë, a Yanomami boy » – For ages 8 to 12 to 100! – written and illustrated by Barbara Crane Navarro – ALL THREE BOOKS IN THE SERIES NOW ON KINDLE, TOO!

Posted on March 31, 2026 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

« Amazon Rainforest Magic presents a world that at first might seem whimsical, where people, animals, and plants joke, conspire, and argue with each other. The serious point is that humans are no more important than any of the other creatures – … Continue reading →

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