love the journey: Poetry and Artwork Selections

By Andrea G. Hardeman

In this collection of poetry and art Andrea G. Hardeman pulls back the curtain on her intimate journey of inner child healing, working through the depths of depression and anxiety, and ultimately finding healing and joy along the way. Readers are enveloped in a space of reflection on their own journey and

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pierucci Publishing
• Release date: Mar 14, 2022
• ISBN: 9781956257342

Book preview

Praise for the work of Andrea G. Hardeman

Unpretentious, unapologetically raw, and naked. It’s rare to have words and art merge in true harmony and come to life as they do in love the journey. Andrea has mastered the art of invoking this essence to connect to the human soul.

-Edidiong Ekpo, Photographer and visual artist

Andrea's prose is the conversation too many of us have denied our souls for too long. Brave, frank, poignant, incisive, she lets us into the wrestle, quest, and reconciliation of the soul, of a life, both in her words and her imagery. Hers is a voice that is real and calls for each of us to examine ourselves and the world we inhabit and allow to be, much, much deeper. Her creativity both in word and image attests to the power of the arts to allow for empathy, expression, and ultimate healing.

-Ashlee Whittaker, Curator at BYU Museum of Art

love the journey is an intentional invitation to connect and journey through the real time experiences and perspective of a creative making sense of a world in constant flux. It is a journey that is gentle on the eyes and, at times, heavy on the spirit by virtue of the connections across lived experiences. It speaks softly and connects intensely. There is easily a corner of art or a string of words dancing along a page that sings the lyrics that only your eyes will especially need. Return to it as Andrea shows us how she uses her explorations to return to us, again and again, for active restoration and recovery.

-Dr. LaShawn C Williams, LCSW, CEO of Relational Spaces and owner of the Utah Center for Connection

Andrea’s honest courageous poetry creates a deep space for introspection and understanding. It is as if I could see into her heart and soul, as well as the underbelly of American culture. The powerful combination of art and poetry in this book opened me to an experience of pure beauty in both light and shadow. This will definitely be a conversation starter on my coffee table. This book is a work of art full of bold love!

-Tonia Erin, Sacred Life & Leadership Coach

This collection is a testament to the transformative powers of creativity, especially in times of grief. Andrea guides you through her creative process while telling stories of pain, betrayal, exploration, and hope through her poetry and visual art. Her title piece, Love the Journey, perfectly captures her ability to allow flow into her personal and creative lives.

-Dr. Niecie Jones, Psychotherapist and creativity coach

Reading Andrea's words make me feel seen. She has a gift for encapsulating the spectrum of pain, change, the Black experience, growth, trauma, and healing, written between the lines of her sacred life experiences. She is a true artist, and the way her art and words intertwine with each other in this gift of a book make that resoundingly clear. Thank you for sharing this gift with the world, Andrea!

-Bethany Cherry, Wellness coach at Bethany Cherry Coaching

Andrea has the ability to create at the intersection of where Source and self meet. This sweet spot is where artists channel the pieces that influence the world in a way that resonates with the recipient enough to evoke action. Andrea