The Coupeville Library will be hosting “Ethereal Journeys: Abstract Figures and Dreamscapes,” a solo exhibition by Whidbey Island artist GJ Gillespie, through January.

The free exhibition features a collection of mixed media collages that bridge mid-century abstract expressionism with contemporary explorations of existential themes, according to a press release.

Working from his 1928 Tudor Revival farmhouse studio overlooking Oak Harbor, Gillespie transforms everyday materials — newsprint, colored tissue and found grocery ads — into ethereal compositions where figures dissolve into dreamlike landscapes. Drawing inspiration from the transcendent beauty of the Pacific Northwest and the rich legacy of the Northwest Mystics, each piece becomes what the artist calls a “future antique,” works that feel like precious artifacts discovered rather than recently created.

Gillespie is a prolific mixed media collage artist with 23 awards to his name, according to the press release. His work has been exhibited in 70 shows across Washington, British Columbia, Mississippi and Arizona, and has appeared in more than 200 art and literary publications. A retired Professor Emeritus of Communication from Northwest University, Gillespie now dedicates himself to his artistic practice and runs Leda Art Supply, a company specializing in premium sketchbooks.

“My approach involves ‘standing on the shoulders of giants’ — reimagining cultural iconography through the lens of abstraction,” Gillespie said in the press release. “Rather than pursuing purely original designs, I create individuations of universal imagery that become mysterious when placed in new contexts. These abstract explorations tap into unconscious feelings of longing for existential meaning.”

The exhibition will include recent works such as “Yesterday,” “Party At the End of the World” and “Across the Universe,” along with published pieces like “Good Morning Mr. Sunshine” and “California Dreaming.”