We were lucky to catch up with Lorraine Devon Wilke recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Lorraine, so great to have you on the platform. There’s so much we want to ask you, but let’s start with the topic of self-care. Do you do anything for self-care and if so, do you think it’s had a meaningful impact on your effectiveness?
“Self-care” is an interesting concept these days. Depending on who you ask, and on what medium, it could mean anything from microneedling, to energy healing, to the latest Instagram remedy for bad eyebrows. But whatever the definition, particularly in a culture saturated with “how-to’s” and “5-rules,” I think it’s never been more essential to clarify what self-care means to you, specifically. For me, it’s changed as I’ve gotten older; become deeper and more considered; less about body, more about soul, and all about finding balance between the two.
Being in the creative businesses, particularly those that require showing up in person, it’s always been a priority to stay in some kind of shape (never easy with my DNA!), as well as keep vibrant and energetic, and present as sartorially relevant and passably attractive as possible, all required by the job descriptions. But it’s funny what happens as you get older. Regardless of those efforts, you notice you’re suddenly viewed through a different filter, categorized with “for your age” limitations; often deemed less valuable or viable. It’s systemic, ageism, whether caterwauling about Joe Biden being too old to run again, debating Madonna’s facial reconstruction, or penning op-eds about how “seniors should exit the stage to make room for the next generation.” I’ve watched people with no idea of what it is to be older, or what the unheralded pluses of that age really are, miscalculate and dismiss the power, wisdom, and enduring capabilities of their seniors… a cultural phenomenon demands a specific type of self-care for anyone who continues to put themselves out in the world.
So. On the physical end of my own routine: I honor my “evolving” (better word than “aging,” right?) body for its health, resilience, and strength by maintaining a regimen of long power walks (with a kick-ass playlist that would keep even the most reluctant walker moving), yoga, free-weights, and hiking. I eat healthy, no drugs; haven’t had a drink in 25 years (I know… sounds dull, but I discovered I don’t need alcohol to rock & roll!). I love good spa days, avail myself of noninvasive facial and body treatments whenever I can, and deep tissue massages can’t happen enough.
On the mental, emotional, spiritual end: I availed myself of talk therapy earlier in my life, a healing and life changing process. I’m always studying new (and old) ideas in the realm of thought, philosophy, and metaphysics, using what I learn to understand myself better, strengthen my marriage, deepen my relationships with family and friends, and define the path forward in my career. I work often with an energy healer who’s had a profound effect on my general well-being; I keep my thoughts out of the dark side (something I did too often as a younger one), and begin and end each day with an acknowledgement of my gratitude.
As for the impact of all that on my effectiveness: All of it together —both body and soul routines — has allowed me to be PRESENT in my life. To let go of past hurts and disappointments. To remain active and curious, explore every opportunity that crosses my path; to be dogged and determined despite the inevitable set-backs, pushbacks, and cultural dismissals. That effectiveness is enhanced by surrounding myself with creative, uplifting, joyful people doing good work, while simultaneously excising negative people, thoughts, or activities. I’m vigilant about moderating my consumption of every kind of media (including social), avoid useless arguments (online or off), and unload all unnecessary baggage (both physical and emotional), homing in on what my priorities are. In earlier eras, the success of my creative career was paramount; now, my family takes that spot, which demands I find balance between those two arenas. That kind of clarifying and decluttering leaves me more open and receptive to new and exciting things… and, I promise you, there is not an age category in human existence that doesn’t revel in new and exciting things!
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
Hailing from the Midwest, a child of both big city (Chicago) and small-town life (Richmond/Crystal Lake, Ill), I was a “creative” from the moment I could open my mouth and make noise. Emerging from high school creative pursuits into the theater department at the University of Illinois, I ultimately hit the road with a rock band which eventually led to Los Angeles and the unfolding of what’s been an amazing and eclectic career. Fully immersed in the “Madame Wong/MTV” ‘80s music scene with my original band, DEVON, and getting lots of session work as a vocalist, I tangled my various muses together from there, leaping in the independent film world by the ‘90s, where I wrote screenplays and soundtrack songs, recorded vocals for several; acted in a few films, and did a lot of script consulting and development. When digital media exploded in the aughts, I penned articles, essays, and op-eds for HuffPost and other popular sites, developed my photography business, and, in the last ten years, have had three award-winning novels published. With marriage and family very much in the mix throughout, there’s been some interesting plate balancing, but I’ve managed to fuse it all into a cohesive, continuous brand of sorts… in fact, that’s the perfect name for my brand: “Continuous Creativity”…
… which does, in fact, continue with a few new projects: I’ve recently signed on as the “LA Life” in-house photographer for the brilliant nationwide digital magazine, The Three Tomatoes, which has given me a chance to share favorite pics of the vibrant city in which I live. I’ve got a fourth novel, a twisty, creepy thing called KINDRED 21, currently being shopped for representation, and a fifth in-progress titled, CHICK SINGER, a story that allows me to tap into my rock and roll bona fides. Additionally, I’m working with my very talented husband, attorney/writer/producer, Pete Wilke, on the reboot of his smash original musical, COUNTRY THE MUSICAL, which he produced years back, in which I appeared in a lead role, and will leap into once again when the time comes. All very exciting stuff in keeping with my “Continuous Creativity” brand!
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Having experimented with various skills sets and qualities that have impacted my journey forward, and while there are many that have certain gravitas and importance, there are also those seemingly smaller things that I’ve found go a long way in defining your brand and inspiring goodwill. I thought I’d mention a few of those:
1. Be a good communicator. It sounds simple, easy, but at a time when there has never been more methods of communication at our fingertips, I found that, strangely, too many people are still not very good at it. I’ve seen artists lose jobs because they didn’t return emails; actors fired from productions when they missed important texts about schedule changes; relationships stumble when calls got ignored. But even if it’s not about bungled jobs, missed opportunities, or inconsiderate behavior, allowing a brand to creep up around you as someone who’s undependable when it comes to responding, staying in touch, or reaching out when it’s good protocol, is NOT what you want. Early in my career, I read that when Sherry Lansing was CEO of Paramount Pictures, she responded to every call, every day, a fact I corroborated decades later with someone who’d worked with her. At the time, I decided I wanted to model that behavior, and became, frankly, almost religious about it. But I like knowing that people are confident I’ll get back to them in a timely manner, that I’ll follow through, respond; reach out. That I’ll initiate communication, share their good news or career events. They can count on my communication reliability, and that awareness has been a boon to me in building good relationships, both personal and professional. I recommend it.
2. Time-Management (aka: DON’T BE LATE!). Again, this might seem like a small thing, but my experience has proven it’s not. When all (most) of us have attached-to-the-hip cell phones with GPS apps that not only tell us how to get where we’re going, but how long it’ll take to get there, the well-worn, “Sorry… LA traffic!” will most often draw ire from the person you’ve left waiting. I heard one director snap at a tardy actor: “You’ve lived in LA long enough to know about traffic; your understudy is working tonight!” Yep, a reputation killer. It’s about respect for other people’s time, consideration for the schedules of projects and events you’ve committed to; about being dependable and contributing to your brand as someone to be counted on to show up… on time! There’s great value in being a good time manager. And you can always grab a Starbucks if you turn up somewhere too early!
3. Never lose your sense of humor. I love this one. I forget about it from time-to-time, but it really is a skill that has enhanced my life in every way imaginable. Being able to laugh, to find humor in situations we encounter, has EVERYTHING to do with helping us keep the balance of joy in our lives. All goals, businesses, and careers make ponderous demands on us, and if we’re to achieve our dreams, yes; we must be dogged and determined and work hard to get where we want to go. But we must also value FUN, laughter, singing too loud, dancing like lunatics; making people howl in hilarity, because those things matter too. Without them, existence can become a dirge. People without the ability to laugh and find humor in the journey tend to lose perspective on what it’s all about, the value of playfulness; the gift given in lightening the air around us and LAUGHING. Please don’t forget that while you’re out conquering the world.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
The last three years of the pandemic and all its ancillary, myriad weirdnesses, has had as much effect on my life as everyone else’s. While my writing and photography, being solitary arts, progressed without much of a hitch, all group activities, including book events, theatrical collaborations, and performances with my band, were either shut down completely or put on extended hiatus. As we now move into the fourth year of pandemic evolution, I find myself creaking back toward some new version of normal, ready for life to surge back to public productivity. I’m always open to connect with smart, sane, talented people — musicians looking for vocalists, songwriters looking for lyricists, producers looking for actors, authors looking to host book events, organizers looking for speakers; general creatives looking for the like-minded. There’s a “contact page” on my website; if you’re one of those and you’ve got something cool to share with me, please get in touch!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://lorrainedevonwilke.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lorrainedevonwilke/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lorrainedevonwilke
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/LorraineDWilke
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-8tpSlBMJzjqKual3lVt6A
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/lorraine-devon-wilke
- Other: Blog: https://rockpapermusic.com/ Medium column: https://lorrainedwilke.medium.com/
Image Credits
Ken Jacques Eric Frahm Louise Amandes Dillon Wilke Maureen Grammer
