Checkbox liberalism is ruining film & TV
Can liberalism ever go too far in art? Ailsa Gillies explores the counterproductive consequences when storytelling is confined to the safety of checkboxes in TV shows such as You. Continue reading Checkbox liberalism is ruining film & TV
The Lamb’s Lament
A lament for all those who were ever told they were ‘too soft’, ‘too sensitive’ or told to ‘toughen up’.
Ailsa Gillies uses the extended metaphor of a lamb to symbolise the predatory behaviour of the corporate world that exploit and shame vulnerabilities and kindness. Continue reading The Lamb’s Lament
A Psalm from the Window
‘How easy humans are to love when they’re not performing’, says Ailsa Gillies in this piece that finds reverence in the ordinary and compassion for humans when they’re the most ‘themselves’. Continue reading A Psalm from the Window
Something Borrowed
Everything in life – time, love, possessions, and experiences – are something borrowed. Ailsa Gillies explores the fleeting nature of life and the illusion of ownership. Continue reading Something Borrowed
The Price of Pomegranates
Transformation. Death and rebirths. The duality of beauty and pain. The messiness that comes with ‘pomegranates’, the metaphor for a life rich with experience.
These are all the things that Ailsa Gillies explores in this visceral and raw piece of lyrical prose. Continue reading The Price of Pomegranates
Lilac & Lemon
This poem explores the eternal bond between sisters, rooted deeply in the fabric of time. It navigates the themes of unconditional love, shared history, and the interconnectedness of all life—whether through blood, roots, or stories by the fire. Continue reading Lilac & Lemon
Royal photography: truth or illusion?
Photography has the power to reveal – or to deceive. Ailsa Gillies explores the fine line between authenticity and artistry, from Lord Snowdon’s intimate portraits of Princess Margaret to Annie Leibovitz’s regal spectacle of Queen Elizabeth II. What do these images truly show us? And what do they conceal? Step inside The King’s Gallery with me, where perception reigns supreme. Continue reading Royal photography: truth or illusion?
How a dream led me to leaving my corporate job
At 24 years old, Ailsa Gillies had everyone questioning if she’d lost her mind after giving up her high paying job and her flat in the city in the wake of a strange dream.
After what appeared to be a spiritual awakening, Ailsa began pursuing a life of service and embracing a role of a compassionate leader of a ‘soft rebellion’ movement, which led to the publication of her poetic manifesto: Conversations with Nature. Continue reading How a dream led me to leaving my corporate job
Olives & Roses
This love poem, set in the Tuscan mountains, intertwines two cultures through the symbolism of the olive & the rose. Ailsa Gillies explores love as a journey, not a destination – a celebration of the moments between milestones and the creation that takes place when two become one. Continue reading Olives & Roses
When ‘now’ becomes ‘then’
From these intimate notes on nostalgia from her personal diary, Ailsa Gillies reflects on what happens when ‘now’ becomes ‘then’. Continue reading When ‘now’ becomes ‘then’
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