Florida artist Joanelle Mulrain is on a journey. What started out as an exhibit of her Florida landscape paintings at the Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum (Jacksonville, FL, USA) turned into a special suite of paintings to honor Florence Nightingale. The Karpeles scheduled an exhibit of Miss Nightingale historical papers, so the roots of a special suite began to take hold in her mind. Through this epiphany, Mulrain began to research what inspired Florence Nightingale to became a nurse and translate her inspirational points of lights into her paintings (For more on the exhibit go to www.florencenightingaleexhibit.com). During her research Mulrain became interested in why others chose nursing as a career, what was their inspiration? – so, The Nursing Inspiration Project was born as a sister to her exhibit. She hopes this blog will be a beacon of light for others to join this noble profession.

Are you a nurse? What inspired you to join the profession? You’re invited to participate in The Nursing Inspiration Project, a blog of inspirational stories by the caring and compassionate women and men who have chosen nursing as their life’s work. Mulrain wants to know what inspired you to become a nurse, so others may follow your footsteps. Be part of this global effort to participate in the Library of Nursing Inspiration™.

Celebrate Florence Nightingale. Florida Artist Joanelle Mulrain celebrates the life and times of Florence Nightingale (b 12 May 1820; d 13 August 1910), a global pioneer of nursing, Crimean war heroine, feminist, and known to many as the founder of modern nursing. Her suite of six painting/collages depict the inspirational moments and points of light during of Miss Nightingale’s life of service and the times she lived in; two narrative canvases will feature quotes, including the 1857 poem, “Santa Filomena”, dedicated to her by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow; and a portrait of young Florence as she became a legend in her own time.