Traces of the Unseen Painting

J. Jie Li is a contemporary artist based in New York, recognized for her evocative exploration of human nature, inner reflection, and the forces that shape existence. She is a Signature Member and Board Member of the Watercolor USA Honor Society, as well as a Signature Member of the American Artists Professional League. After graduating from Parsons School of Design, J. Li worked as a fashion designer and consultant before fully dedicating herself to fine art. Her work has been exhibited internationally in prestigious institutions, including The Royal Academy of Arts and Mall Galleries in London, UK; The Alexandria Museum of Art, the Ormond Memorial Art Museum, the Marietta Cobb Museum of Art, the Yellowstone Art Museum, and the Springfield Art Museum in the U.S.; as well as The La Asunción Cultural Center and Muestra de Arte Contemporáneo in Spain. She has received numerous accolades, including the Kenneth M. Shuck Memorial $3,000 Cash Award and the Greg G. Thielen Memorial $2,000 Cash Award in Watercolor USA in both 2024 and 2023. Her works are held in private and public collections across China, France, Germany, Japan, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States, including the Consulate General of Japan and the Albacete Provincial Council of Spain. Deeply influenced by Arthur Schopenhauer’s philosophy, Zen, and Daoism, J. Li’s art delves into the complexities of desire, suffering, and self-discovery. She examines the restless nature of human longing, the tension between chaos and serenity, and the search for transcendence. Through a blend of figuration and abstraction, her paintings use natural transformations—both harmonious and catastrophic—as metaphors for human emotion and existential struggle. While watercolor remains her primary medium, J. Li challenges its traditional constraints, pushing beyond its expected transparency and spontaneity. Her work adopts a more structured and layered approach, incorporating delicate yet sharp brushstrokes that reflect the expressive precision of Chinese calligraphy. She frequently integrates mixed media and experiments with watercolor on canvas, expanding the medium’s expressive potential. At the core of J. Li’s practice is a dialogue—between the self and the subconscious, between humanity and nature, between suffering and salvation. Through her art, she invites viewers to embark on their own introspective journey, seeking meaning beyond the surface.