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.

VERY HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL !!

Posted on December 24, 2024 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project
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Ces livres sont délicieux ! – « La Magie de l’Amazonie Les aventures de Namowë, un garçon Yanomami » et « 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 December 23, 2024 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

« Bien qu’écrits pour les enfants, j’ai trouvé les livres, “La Magie de l’Amazonie”, agréables à lire et très instructifs.  Je me suis retrouvé à rire tout au long. Ce sont des histoires formidables et, bien que fantastiques et aventureuses, j’ai … Continue reading →

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Following the Rhythm of Mother Earth — HUMAN WRONGS WATCH

Posted on December 23, 2024 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

Learning from Indigenous Peoples’ food systems and their respect for nature. Indigenous Peoples’ food systems have survived for centuries, generating an incredible diversity of food without depleting the natural resource base of surrounding ecosystems. ©National University of Columbia/Daniel Baena (FAO)* … Continue reading →

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These books are delightful! – « Amazon Rainforest Magic The adventures of Namowë, a Yanomami boy » and « 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 December 22, 2024 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

illustration from « Amazon Rainforest Magic – The adventures of Meromi, a Yanomami girl » « Although written for children, I found these the “Amazon Rainforest Magic” books to be a delight to read and highly informative.  I caught myself chuckling throughout. … Continue reading →

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« Nossos espíritos xapiri estão muito preocupados em ver a terra virar fantasma » — Mágica Mistura

Posted on December 22, 2024 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

Publicado originalmente em Barbara Crane Navarro: «Nossa floresta ainda é linda … enraizada no centro do céu antigo.Além da floresta, o território dos brancos que nos cerca é constituído apenas de terras feridas de onde vêm os fumos epidêmicos … … Continue reading →

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¡Libros con encanto que nos hacen soñar y reflexionar! – « La Magia de la Amazonia Las aventuras de Namowë, un niño Yanomami » y « 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 December 21, 2024 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

« Elementos del mundo natural se entrelazan con la magia y lo sobrenatural en estos encantadores libros que nos hacen soñar y reflexionar. Las historias e ilustraciones son maravillosas y realmente muestran la belleza del Amazonas y la cultura Yanomami que … Continue reading →

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Fascinating! Caecilians: secretive, strange and slithering underground dwellers in tropical rainforests — Palm Oil Detectives

Posted on December 21, 2024 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

OK, Ok…I know this is quite a scary photo but hear me out. Caecilians are legless, eyeless creatures live secretive, strange lives underground and underwater. Not quite snakes, not quite worms and not quite amphibians either. Once you know more … Continue reading →

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Des livres charmants qui nous font rêver et réfléchir – « La Magie de l’Amazonie Les aventures de Namowë, un garçon Yanomami » et « 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 December 20, 2024 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

« Les éléments du monde naturel s’entremêlent avec la magie et le surnaturel dans ces livres charmants qui nous font rêver et réfléchir. Les histoires et les illustrations sont merveilleuses et montrent véritablement la beauté de l’Amazonie et de la culture … Continue reading →

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Scotland’s New Critters, via Climate Migration, Get Gaelic Names — Mother Jones

Posted on December 20, 2024 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

This story was originally published by the Guardian and is reproduced here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration. A host of warm weather species moving north into  805 more words Scotland’s New Critters, via Climate Migration, Get Gaelic Names — Mother Jones

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Charming books that make us dream and reflect – « Amazon Rainforest Magic, The adventures of Namowë, a Yanomami boy » and « 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 December 19, 2024 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

illustration from « Amazon Rainforest Magic – The adventures of Namowë, a Yanomami boy » « Elements of the natural world intertwine with the magical and otherworldly in these charming books that make us dream and reflect.  The stories and illustrations are … Continue reading →

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