FACE THE MUSIC

By Peter Frank

Of all the artistic disciplines, music and visual art seem to be the furthest apart technically, conceptually, and experientially. But the parallels are surprisingly rich – and the efforts to expose these parallels, and even to bring them together in an improbable double-pronged display of audiovisual fusion, have fueled some of music’s AND art’s finest moments. Lu Monteleone explores the way image can elucidate song. That is, she regards art as another means to milking meaning from music.

Herself a professional musician, Monteleone has been deeply affected by the artistry and the personal messaging associated with the vernacular (or “pop”) musicians of our day. For her the music IS the message, and the people who make that music speak for our species in a special way. The sonic legends Lu portrays – Johnny Cash, Freddie Mercury, Berry Gordy, Norah Jones, Tom Petty – she renders large and in a painterly black-and-white so as not to keep these apparitions reduced to album covers, but to broadcast their energy into the viewing space and by inference heighten the acoustic “soul” of that space. These musicians, colleagues of Lu’s after all, are larger than life, and whomever they speak to can hear (in the mind) as well as see these monumental visages. At first it may be cacophony to have Sid Barrett and Glen Frey so forcefully present. But the moment that Lu’s show breaks the surface, that instant where the humanity of these faces comes through visually as they have been musically, is the moment where her art gets us past the Grammy awards and into the choruses and earworms.

Lu portrays non-musicians, too, life-impacting humans like the Dalai Lama and Andy Warhol. Can we “hear” the countenances of non-musicians, too? Certainly if we’ve first seen that demonstrated in the growing parade of singers’ and instrumentalists’ portraits Lu keeps in motion. All these people she paints as representative of heard as well as seen experience have changed or can change any of our hearts and lives, with the simplest of chord changes.

Music is notorious as the art form you can’t escape. Visual artists have striven for centuries to achieve a similarly pervasive effect. But music is automatically immersive. Can it sweep up visual effect when it sweeps us up? Can we be made to see what we hear? In various ways, inside various logics, responsive to various tastes, appealing to complementary audiences. Lu Monteleone has identified one such multi-artistic approach and is digging deep into its possibilities.

Los Angeles

October 2025

In the heart of Las Vegas, where artistry takes many forms, Lu Monteleone emerges as a multifaceted creative force. Best known for her striking, large-scale monochromatic portraits, Lu's oil-on-canvas works capture the emotional depth of cultural icons like Freddie Mercury and the Dalai Lama. Her portraits are more than visual likenesses—they are meditations on character, each piece drawing viewers into the inner world of its subject. From up close or at a distance, the intensity of her brushwork keeps the eye moving and the soul engaged.

But Luann—affectionately called Lu by those who know her—doesn't stop at visual art. She is also a skilled musician, with a background as a drummer that influences the rhythm and energy of her painting. That pulse—the driving force behind every beat and every brushstroke—infuses her work with a unique, dynamic quality. Her studio is often filled with music; the percussion of her practice echoes the tempo of her canvases.

Lu's work has been exhibited in galleries throughout Las Vegas, in the art hubs of Laguna Beach, CA, and most recently at the Sustainable Swim Week International Miami event in South Beach, Miami. These shows are just the beginning. With a growing body of collectors and admirers, she is now preparing for a series of future exhibitions that promise to blend her personal story with community impact.

Exhibition on view at www.lumonteleoneart.com

Beyond the gallery walls, Lu’s most meaningful work may be happening quietly in hospitals, shelters, and recovery centers. Born from her personal experience with grief, Art Healing Hearts is a community art program she founded after losing a loved one—a moment that changed the course of her life and art. What began as a personal outlet for pain soon became a mission to help others process trauma through creative expression.

" By Drawing and Painting. Patients are increasing Connectivity Between the Right and Left Hemispheres of the Brain and Growing New Brainn Cells."

Today, Lu brings healing through art to over 250 people each month. She teaches participants to paint, not for technique, but for transformation. Her program reaches survivors of sex trafficking, veterans, first responders, adolescents struggling with self-harm, and individuals dealing with addiction, traumatic brain injuries, or severe mental illness. Each brushstroke offers a moment of peace, clarity, and connection.

Lu’s approach is rooted in empathy, not instruction. She believes that the act of creating art—even without prior experience—can help people reclaim parts of themselves long buried by trauma. Many participants continue painting on their own, turning art into an ongoing journey of recovery and self-expression.

"Art Reduces Stress and Anxiety Increases Positive Emotions"

As Art Healing Hearts expands, Lu plans to bridge her professional and philanthropic worlds. Upcoming gallery shows could feature not only her own pieces but also work created by participants in the program—elevating their voices and stories to a wider audience.

For Lu Monteleone, the canvas is both a stage and a sanctuary. Whether she’s holding a drumstick or a paintbrush, her rhythm is steady: create with purpose, connect with heart, and always keep moving forward.

"Art Healing Hearts, led by founder Lu Monteleone, helps individuals heal emotional distress by turning their pain into purpose through therapeutic painting and expression" ~ Ktnv Las Vegas

ISSUE 25 AVAILABLE

In this 25th edition of the ACCA Journal, we are honored to shine a spotlight on outstanding artists and entrepreneurs who have distinguished themselves in their respective fields. Read the Issue. Purchase the Issue.