8In the Eyes of the Beholder is an exploration of the symbiotic relationship between viewing a work of art and the emotions and memories it evokes. Fifteen artworks were selected. Each piece was assigned to two different people with no other information than to use as a writing prompt. In some instances, an immediate emotional response was aroused and the writing flowed. In other cases, the work evoked a personal memory and led the writer to reflect on current sociological themes or current events. The resulting works span a wide range of topics, genres, and writing styles; but each piece is unique and made the author stretch and expand their writing skills. We all have a story to tell about the piece, and that story may have nothing to do with the artist's intent in creating the artwork. That is the seminal point of this book.