Creative expression has been in existence since the beginning of man. Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics and cave drawings depicted the imagination and desire of man to record events and thoughts. Music, dancing, and storytelling were fundamental expressions of self for the American Native. For these people, creative arts were a means to express oneself when the written word, as we know it today, was unavailable or nonexistent. Today, creative arts have become an alternative means of expressing oneself when the traditional written word seems inadequate or inappropriate. Nursing utilizes art therapy in areas such as Alzheimer's disease and psychotherapy. Music therapy has been found to be effective in pain management. Drama and role-playing have been found to be beneficial when caring for children and adolescents. Nursing educators can also utilize creative arts to enhance the student's synthesis of information. Role-playing, teaching posters, games, and art are an effective means of increasing student participation and perception of difficult concepts. “What Nursing Means To Me” will focus primarily on the student's use of art to express his/her thoughts and feelings of a personal philosophy of nursing. A coat-of-arms shield was the basis for the design, and words were to be limited to no more than four. The artwork varied from computer-generated to free style drawings and was limited only by the student's imagination and personal philosophy of nursing. A comparison of a traditional written philosophy with the creative expression will also be presented.