J. Jie Li

Fire and Desire

Rendered in non-traditional watercolor and dynamic mixed media, Fire and Desire captures the raw intensity of human longing within a storm of incandescent hues and tactile textures. Interweaving Daoist and Zen concepts of impermanence with Schopenhauer’s philosophy of the Will, the series frames desire not merely as a consuming force, but as a sacred crucible for spiritual alchemy. From the blinding roar of passion to the serene clarity found within its ashes, these works trace the soul’s transformative journey through the inferno—navigating the flames to emerge renewed, unyielding, and profoundly wise.
The Anchor Within the Storm

Watercolor on Arches paper, 36×36 inches, 2019

Twin Ascent Toward the Infinite

Watercolor on Arches Paper, 39×45 inches, 2022

Fire and Desire XVI

Watercolor on Arches paper, 40×45 inches, 2022 (sold)

The Liberated Light

Watercolor on Arches paper, 39×45 inches, 2022

Ember of Eternal Longing

Watercolor on Arches paper, 40×45 inches, 2021

The Purifying Inferno

Watercolor on Arches paper, 40×45 inches, 2021

Resilience in the Ashes

Watercolor on Arches paper, 40×45 inches, 2021

Entangled Ascendance

Watercolor on Arches paper, 40×45 inches, 2021

Unsettled Flame

Watercolor on Arches paper, 40×45 inches, 2018