H. O. M. E: Heaven on Mother Earth

From the minds and HeART(s) of Sabrina “Balam” & Claudia “iXchel” Sandivel

THE BEGINNING

There was a time when warriors protected the land. There was a time, farther back then I can easily Re-member, when the tribes of humanity cared for what was lent to us… there was a time. That time will be again. And that time is NOW.

How can this be, if we are speaking of the past, and the future, that the time is now? This is where the story of We Are One Heaven on Earth (1HeART) begins, ends, and continues.

Timing is Everything. And that is how I met Claudia “iXchel” Sandivel

IXCHEL

iXchel pronounced “ee shell” is an innocent, magical and arrogant creature, hailing from Mexico City. She believs she was a hummingbird, an Aztec Warrior, in a past life. I tend to agree. Strikingly beautiful; with plump, full lips and luscious raven hair that cascades in waves down her back, her beauty is of the type that Empires took up arms for. Her eyes are as dark as a new moon sky, and have an intriguing habit of reflecting light right back at you and straight into your very soul. I know her as a woman who decided to run a marathon and then conquered 26.2 miles in 3 hours and 5 minutes on four hours of sleep. She is at once a daredevil on a motorcycle and an advocator of personal excellence. She is ready to unleash her Self onto the world and We Are One Heaven on Earth is the Opening Ceremony.

For Claudia, photography is a powerful expression of Self. Within a single photograph lies a story that can be shared and told forever. When she gets in front of the camera she transforms into a vessel designed to ignite the fire of human connection and inspiration.  “The closest distance between two people is a smile,” she told me. Beginning with her father, whose passion for photography led Claudia to realize the true value, beauty and power of photographing a moment; connecting with the camera became a sacred portal for reflection and inspiration.

The first time I truly “saw” iXchel (reader, think Hollywood film Avatar : ‘I see you’) was about six months after we began creating together, at the 1HeART modeling shoot at Smashbox Studios. I had my reserved  opinions about modeling; developed after coordinating several fashion shoots and years of experience grazing glossy magazines who promised me irrevocable beauty, thousands of love-sick men, the moon, stars, and thighs like Angelina Jolie if I just changed everything about myself.

I watched her curiously as she sat perched in a high-backed chair under the bright fluorescent lights of the dressing room, accompanied by Melissa Perez and Cedric Valentine of MVP Management and the Founder of Fearless Beauty herself, positive female  role model and natural-beauty make-up artist Kenetia Lee. Airbrushed from head to toe by skin painting artist Hans Haveron, garnished with silver chains, pearls, gauze and a halo of feathers crafted from the genius mind of galactic superheroine and  Stylist Roxer Tronica, she threw me an excited smile.

Being with Claudia at the 1HeART shoot completely altered the way I will view modeling forever. At 1HeART, Claudia stood authentically before the naked eye of the camera; visually expressing herself in a way that was both beautiful and inspiring. At one point, I even cried. She strummed that sacred harp in my emotional core, opening the floodgates that caused me to suddenly become engulfed by memories of my past. I recall reflecting on who I have become, and releasing my dreams of the future all at once in a tidal wave. 1HeART became  more than just a photo shoot. It provides a blueprint to explore our roots and connect with our ancient past; offers theories on reigning in our future galactic visions, all in the time-span of the NOW.

Master photographer Rose Barling, channeled the power of  1HeART through her lenses, capturing Claudia’s transcendence in time and enshrining them forever. As her camera clicked, Jigglesworth lucid visuals swirled around us, and the centuries seemed to fly away.

THE VISION

1HeART celebrates the connection between a rooted ancient past, our most variable present, and the undetermined future, exploring the perception of these three concepts with photographs, history, and imagination.

 

Written from the mind and HeART of Sabrina “Balam”

Edited by Claudia “iXchel” Sandivel

Producer, Creative Director & Visionary Model: Claudia Sandivel