Gary Gillespie, Tell Me Why, 2025, Mixed media collage, 24 x 22.5 x 1 in

"Tell Me Why" depicts a wounded bird through angular, fractured forms. Editors of Phil Lit Journal recently selected it for publication in the Spring 2026 issue, placing it as a finalist for their cover art contest. It was GJ Gillespie's 205th publication. In addition, the piece generated a strong response at Ethereal Journeys: Abstract Figures and Dreamscapes, Gillespie's solo exhibition at the Coupeville Public Library in January 2026. Working in the tradition of the Northwest Mystics, who created haunting bird figures as symbols of spiritual transformation, "Tell Me Why" explores vulnerability and resilience through layered abstraction, reflecting the visionary legacy of Morris Graves, Mark Tobey, and Kenneth Callahan while speaking in a distinctive collaged voice. GJ Gillespie is a mixed-media collage artist based in Oak Harbor on Whidbey Island, Washington. His work has appeared in 210 literary and art journal publications, 71 exhibitions, and earned 23 awards. He is Professor Emeritus of Communication at Northwest University and has completed six artist residencies at the UW Whiteley Center at Friday Harbor Labs on San Juan Island.