At the last DTLA Art Night, Sol Luongo was the first artist that the U.S. Bartender’s Guild (USBG) picked to showcase during its new monthly installment at Florentín Rooftop Bar in Downtown which gives different bartenders the chance to show off their artistic sides at the venue.
Sol, however, was not able to be there for her own exhibit—for the past few months, she has been battling breast cancer, leaving her family, loved ones, and social life with great heartache.
“I’ve been realizing art is my best therapy,” Sol tells L.A. TACO. “I haven’t been able to paint or create much recently since I just came out of surgery, but right before that, it was one of the main things in life bringing me peace and purpose."
Raised between Brazil and Uruguay, Sol found her way to the United States in her twenties and soon began carving her path through Los Angeles nightlife.
“Many of us are drawn to bartending because we’re also musicians, actors, performers, or artists in some way,” she continues. “The hospitality world attracts people with creative ambitions who don’t quite fit the 9-to-5 mold.”
“I had known Sol for several years as a muralist, artist, musician, and sculptor ... [she’s] very connected to the neighborhood,” says Mitch DuRette, who previously hired Sol to paint the side of his liquor store.
Known as a part-time muralist, as well as a bassist for The Vigils and Turning Violet, Luongo put out her first full-length record with the former in 2020 and became an active and well-known creative in the Highland Park community.
“She was the manager at Cuevita at that point, around 10-12 years, and just wanted to do something on the wall that was positive and reflected the neighborhood,” DuRette says.
“My diagnosis completely changed my perspective on life; it opened my eyes to more gratitude, to community, to the importance of being present,” Sol says about her persistent creativity. “We’re all complex people moving through very different phases of life. My sketchbooks are like journals—I can look at a drawing and know exactly what I was feeling or experiencing at that moment. Some of those sketches eventually become paintings.”
“When I was first diagnosed, I painted myself literally kicking the shit out of cancer,” Luongo tells L.A. TACO. “Creating is therapy. It’s human. Whether it’s making art, crafting cocktails, or creating spaces that feel welcoming—it’s all about connection.”
She adds that USBG President Robert Martinez reached out to have her display her work.
DTLA Art Night brings dozens of galleries and creative studios in L.A.’s Historic Core together, with all 49 locations within walking distance of one another at last night's event.
From the Regent Theatre to The Last Bookstore, to the creative community inside Lucky Cat Labs to showcasing brand new creative faces and galleries, DTLA Art Night brings together a diverse section of Downtown nightlife and working artist life.
A mixed bill, the night also featured Nigerian Independence Day DJ sets and a singer/songwriter R&B set by Rain Bisou.
“Everyone’s North Star is different, and finding it isn’t easy, but it’s necessary. For me, that North Star is creating,” adds Sol. “I know I’ll have a lot to catch up on financially and professionally after all this, but it’s also taught me to slow down and appreciate life—because things can change in an instant.”
