Encaustics II--Environment/Life Cycles Life Cycles is a new and ongoing series that is inspired by nature and informed by the Japanese aesthetic of mono no aware, variously defined as "the pathos of things, the awareness of impermanence, the transience of things, and a deeper, gentle sadness about the reality of life, which heightens the appreciation of their beauty." There are three simple realities for sentient beings: Nothing lasts; nothing is finished; nothing is perfect. It is this wisdom and beauty that I am investigating in this series.