When Courtney Adkins ’26, a Studio Art and Emerging Media major at Capital University, received an email from her professor, she didn’t expect it would lead to one of the most meaningful projects of her college career. Professor Mia Smith reached out with an opportunity to create a commissioned painting in celebration of the School of Nursing’s 75th anniversary. The resulting work, “Connections to the Past,” would become both a tribute to the university’s long-standing nursing program and a reflection of Adkins’s own artistic journey.
“I hadn’t painted in a bit, so I thought it would be a good challenge to push myself and see if I could do it,” Adkins said. “It came with such a clear focus but still allowed a lot of room for creativity, which is something I feel like any commissioned piece has.”
“Connections to the Past,” captures both the inspiration and composition of the piece. Adkins chose to depict an older nurse pinning a younger nurse, a symbolic gesture representing the transfer of knowledge, tradition, and compassion across generations.
“I wanted to honor where they came from and where they are now,” she said. “Seventy-five years is such a big number. I wanted to highlight that legacy and the continuation of those values.”
To bring her vision to life, Adkins embarked on an extensive research process. She met with nursing faculty and leadership to discuss the project’s direction, then reached out to the library’s archives for historical photos.
“I wanted something specifically from when the nursing school started,” she explained. “I did a lot of research online, got photos from Capital parents who are alumni, and really tried to capture those early years.”
Her love of history guided her throughout the process.
“I’m a big history nerd,” said Adkins. “Looking at old photos and artifacts always inspires me. I love museums. I always leave feeling like I want to create.”
Using these images as references, she combined elements from several photos to create a single, cohesive composition, that visually connects the past and present of Capital’s nursing tradition.
Working in oil paint, her preferred medium, Adkins poured hours into refining every detail.
“Oil painting is my favorite because it gives you the flexibility to keep working,” she said. “There were definitely times when I wasn’t happy with how things looked. I restarted quite a bit, wiping off the canvas and tweaking things until it felt right.”
Her commitment to getting it right reflects her respect for the subject matter. The process, she admits, was as emotional as it was artistic.
“The old and the new, the connections that were made, the time-honored traditions being passed down, that’s what I wanted to show,” she said. “That would make my little artist’s heart happy.”
While the commission was her most public artistic endeavor to date, Adkins is no stranger to integrating creativity into her studies.
“I’ve found ways to incorporate my art into different classes,” she said. “In my English class, Writing in the Professions, I’m doing a critical autobiography and creating a painting to go with it. The professor was really open to it.”
Balancing her academic work with her artistic ambitions, she said, has become a key part of her Capital experience. Her journey with oil painting began at Capital during her sophomore year.
“My first oil painting was actually here,” she recalled. “I had to mimic the style of an old master for an assignment. Since they worked in oil paint, I decided to try it, and I fell in love with it.”
Now, just a few years later, Adkins’s work stands as a centerpiece of a major university celebration, a powerful visual bridge between the nurses who came before and the students who will carry their legacy forward.
“I’ve never shown my art to that many people before, so it’s nerve-wracking,” she admitted. “But it’s such a cool experience. I’m nervous but excited.”
Through Connections to the Past, Adkins not only celebrates 75 years of Capital nursing but also captures the essence of what it means to be part of a community rooted in care, connection, and creativity.
To learn more about the School of Nursing at Capital, visit https://www.capital.edu/academics/nursing/.