The University of Alabama at Birmingham’s (UAB) School of Nursing has a new mural by Rocky Kimble, a senior studying Biomedical Sciences at the university. This mural is the fourth installation in the Live HealthSmart Alabama (LHSA) Stairway to Wellness project, which aims to commission murals in stairwells across the university.

Led by Holly Wyatt, M.D., and Michele Gould, MPH, Stairway to Wellness promotes physical activity, good nutrition, education, and prevention across UAB by turning regular stairwells into visually inspiring spaces to encourage movement and well-being. Additional murals are featured in the Susan Mott Webb Nutrition Sciences Building and the School of Education and Human Sciences Building, with Kimble’s piece continuing the series as the latest installation. The project aims to complete 11 murals in stairwells across the university.

Kimble’s mural, “Hydrostatic,” depicts a whale intertwined with drops of water. His inspiration for the piece came from themes of positivity, animals, and how consuming water and maintaining a healthy lifestyle promote longevity.

“The blue whale is the mural's centerpiece,” said Kimble. “They’re incredibly long-lived, living up to 90 years. It felt like a really good central theme for the piece.”

Although Kimble is pursuing a degree in Biomedical Sciences, art—whether woodworking, drawing, or cooking—has always been a creative outlet for him.

When Kimble received an email from the Honors College seeking artists, he was immediately interested. Not only was this a unique chance for Kimble to flex his creative muscles, but it was also particularly special knowing that the piece would be displayed in the School of Nursing building, where his brother graduated.

Drawing on the walls isn’t new to Kimble; in fact, it’s something he has done since childhood.

“If I found a crayon or a Sharpie, I would draw on the walls, which made my mom a little mad,” said Kimble. “I find it funny how everything came full circle, and 15 years later, I’m being asked to draw on the walls.”

After talking with his brother and gaining insight into what nursing students might want to see, he began designing the piece.

Inspired by the poet Jalal ad-Din Muhammad ar-Rumi’s quote, “You are not a drop in the ocean. You are the entire ocean in a drop,” Kimble settled on a whale encompassed in a drop of water. To symbolize balance, he incorporated a yin-yang design, shaping the water droplets accordingly at the center of the mural.

Finally, “Hydrostatic” was complete.

“The name Hydrostatic was a little arbitrary in the beginning,” said Kimble. “It came from my science classes, where hydrostatic pressure is very important for things like maintaining the pressure in your blood. It felt very fitting for this piece because hydrostatic pressure is about maintaining a healthy balance of all that is essential for the health of your body and heart.”

For Kimble, the mural is more than just a piece of art—it’s a way to merge his love for science and art in a meaningful space. With his brother having graduated from the School of Nursing, the “Hydrostatic” mural feels like a personal tribute, now serving as a daily reminder of balance and well-being for all who pass by.

Interested in creating a mural on campus? Submit your request here.