The artist with one of his pieces.

Every young artist needs a reason to believe, and Actor Lou Gossett, Jr., and Congressional Gold Medal nominee Dr. Ernie Bodai believe in 19 year old native Angelino artist Dylan Bocanegra. An art show/celebration is coming to Miceli’s Italian Restaurant on Sept. 12 in Hollywood. Gossett and Bodai will be present to speak about the artist and his connection to their charitable work at a unique showing of Bocanegra’s art with special appearances by Sheriff Lee Baca and our own publisher Mardi Rustam.

The show takes an innovative, humanitarian approach that integrates Bocanegra’s perception of the world with a stenciled art series. Throw in multiple causes, including philanthropy and awareness, and you get impressive. All of the art, done entirely by hand and spray paint, emphasizes education, cancer, racism and life’s cycles.

“Cancer Warrior, I Am Not My Breasts” is a three piece series about one woman’s choice not to have reconstructive surgery after a radical mastectomy. Rod Stewart, Martin Luther King, Jr., Harvey Milk, as well as Lou Gossett, Jr., also grace the show’s art with hope and inspiration.

A recent graduate of the Los Angeles High School for the Arts, Bocanegra’s socially conscious work stems from his own background and life experiences. Raised by his single mother after losing his father at the age of 4 ½ months, he was educated in the LAUSD public school system and taunted as “the white kid with a Mexican name,” or accused of not being Mexican at all. Bocanegra is proud of his Latino heritage. His mother, a cancer survivor, has nurtured his sense of self and artistic flare throughout his life, even allowing him to color on her living room walls.

Local artist Dylan Bocanegra uses his hands and spray paint to create art that touches on racism, education, cancer and life’s cycles.

Bodai is best known as the mastermind and creator of the Breast Cancer Research Postage Stamp, the first fundraising stamp in U.S. history. Bodai also spends his time testifying at the state and national levels for increased funding for prostate cancer research. Both he and Gossett are prostate cancer survivors. Speaking as an activist, survivor, and doctor, he is one of the world’s most sought after speakers on breast cancer awareness and research. Over 12 countries have adopted the women’s stamp, as he raises awareness for a male counterpart.

Gossett founded Eracism Foundation Inc. in 2006. He has committed the last quadrant of his life to an all out conscious offensive against racism, violence and ignorance.

The veteran, soulful actor went public with his prostate cancer. This is the first time Bodai and Gossett will come together.

“It’s incredible and beyond my wildest dreams that they are coming together,” Bocanegra said. “I’m fortunate to know and call Mr. Gossett a friend and can’t wait to meet Dr. Ernie Bodai. I have learned that the sky is not the limit, especially when the moon already has footprints.”

“I’m coming because I greatly believe that the next generation represents the future outcome of the world and anybody who has worked as hard as Dylan needs to be acknowledged, congratulated and we need to support him to continue his excellent work,” Bodai said.

Bocanegra has been accepted to Art Center College of Design in Pasadena for Multi Media.

Gifting an education can help make our future more peaceful, or as an optimistic Gossett cites in his blessing, “I support anything that goes toward the right direction of the light.”

For more information about Bocanegra, visit http://dbocanegrart.blogspot.com/ or e-mail him at dbocanegra@hotmail.com.