Abstract
This Project is an Alternative Culminating Experience for a Master of Arts in Education: Curriculum and Instruction with an Elective Emphasis on Arts in Education. It follows Pathway I: Artist as educator developing knowledge and skills in a particular area of the arts with a disposition toward applying this acquired expertise to arts education. This project is Defining Moments: Overcoming Fear to Become an Artist. The author looked at the defining moment in her life that helped her commit to being an artist. She gathered information through personal interviews and readings about other artists and how they had overcome their fears. In order to explore this on a personal level, the author studied encaustic painting techniques to gain a level of expertise in the media. Numerous works of art were produced and shown in galleries. The process of becoming an artist and overcoming the fears that are associated with art making and showing art in a gallery were studied.