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.

Dhole Canis Cuon alpinus — Palm Oil Detectives

Posted on December 4, 2024 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

Fiercely protective, elusive and beautiful Dholes are an ancient species of wild dog that diverged from other dog species millions of years ago. Dholes are also known as Asiatic Wild Dogs, Indian Wild Dogs, Red Wolves and Mountain Wolves. Once … 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 December 3, 2024 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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Sloths used to swim in the sea! #shorts — msamba

Posted on December 3, 2024 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project
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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 December 2, 2024 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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Buffy-tufted-ear Marmoset Callithrix aurita — Palm Oil Detectives

Posted on December 2, 2024 by Barbara Crane Navarro - Rainforest Art Project

These enchanting and charismatic tiny monkeys have a distinct “gothic” appearance. They live deep in the forests of a tiny area of Brazil. Buffy-tufted-ear Marmosets are also known as buffy tufted-ear mamosets or the white-eared marmosets. They are New World … 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 December 1, 2024 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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Spectacled Bear Tremarctos ornatus — Palm Oil Detectives

Posted on December 1, 2024 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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¡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 30, 2024 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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Kaapori Capuchin Cebus kaapori — Palm Oil Detectives

Posted on November 30, 2024 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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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 29, 2024 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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