Dan “Nuge” Nguyen needed a creative outlet. Actually, he says he found himself “desperately searching for a creative outlet of any sort,” which led him to a local woodshop. Although he had earned degrees in architecture and was working in his field, it wasn’t fulfilling in the way he had thought it would be when he was still in school. So, when he was laid off in 2016, he found his perfect fit in a shop class.
“I didn’t have a specific game plan for which art form I wanted to explore — I was simply following my instincts. I found myself drawn to the woodshop because I knew I enjoyed working with my hands,” he says. “This became especially clear during architecture school, where I would spend countless hours meticulously crafting scale models for my projects. I found deep satisfaction in the process, from shaping materials to refining details, and that ion for craftsmanship ultimately led me toward woodworking and sculpture.”
While his parents were initially, understandably concerned about the stability of his pivot to full-time artist, today they’re proud to celebrate each success with him, as he continues to work on commissions from his studio, display his creative works in galleries and museums, and share his process with millions on social media.
Nguyen, 37, is a self-taught artist and full-time sculptor who lives in Del Mar and runs his art studio out of Escondido. He took some time to talk about the sense of rebellion in his work, his desire to demonstrate the ways architecture and his artwork complement each other, and how learning to let go of control has led to some of his best work.
Q: Can you talk about when you realized you wanted to seriously pursue using wood to create art?
A: I realized that wood would be a lifelong ion the moment I completed my first cutting board. Before that, I had never even stepped foot in a woodshop, but the entire process—from conceptualizing to crafting to holding the finished piece in my hands — was exhilarating. For the first time, I felt a true sense of ownership over my work. Unlike in architecture, where I was a small part in a big machine, this was something entirely my own. That feeling of creative autonomy and hands-on craftsmanship sparked a deep ion that I knew I wanted to pursue seriously.
Q: What is it about this material that appeals to you and your creativity?
A: Wood continuously teaches me something new, even to this day. I’m drawn to the challenge of understanding its unique properties and pushing its boundaries to create sculptures that allow people to see and appreciate it in an entirely new way. I also love the physicality of my work— the hands-on process of shaping, refining, and coaxing the material into place. The daily ritual of working in the studio, engaging with wood through repeated practice, is deeply satisfying and keeps me connected to my craft.
What I love about Del Mar…
There are three things I absolutely love about living in Del Mar. First, when I head home early enough from work, I get to enjoy the beautiful sunset over the ocean as I drive down the hill toward home. Second, I am only minutes away from incredible restaurants and my favorite ice cream spot, Handel’s. Third, and possibly my favorite reason, my location makes it so that I never hit rush hour traffic going to and from work.
Q: Your website says that your “artistic vision is a display of ingenuity and creativity, imbued with a profound sense of rebellion.” Can you talk a bit about this sense of rebellion? When did you first recognize this in yourself? Where do you think it comes from?
A: The sense of rebellion in my work stems from my background in architecture. Working in an office environment often felt stifling — dominated by hard lines, rigid structures, and constraints that left little room for creative freedom. I wanted to break away from that and create something more fluid, expressive, and instinctive. That’s when I began making sculptures with organic, flowing surfaces, allowing intuition to guide my process.
Q: You also have a desire to “blur the lines between sculpture and architecture”? What does this mean, for you? How would you describe the boundaries that you see existing between the two?
A: Early in my sculptural practice, my work was a direct rebellion against my experience in architecture. I wanted to break away from rigid structures and embrace fluid, organic forms. However, over time, I’ve found myself coming full circle, allowing architectural influences to re- enter my work in new and unexpected ways. My most recent project, a ceramic totem, embodies this shift, incorporating elements of brutalist architecture (a style of architecture emphasizing the use of concrete, that became popular after World War II; a notable example is UC San Diego’s Geisel Library) while still maintaining the expressive qualities of sculpture. For me, blurring the lines between sculpture and architecture means exploring where form meets artistry.
Q: Why is it important to you to remove these boundaries?
A: Removing these boundaries is important to me because I believe architecture and sculpture are inherently connected. They both shape the way we experience space, form, and material. Traditional distinctions can be limiting, defining architecture as purely functional and sculpture as purely expressive. By blurring these lines, I aim to create work that challenges those conventions, allowing structure to become art and art to engage with space in a more immersive way. It’s about redefining how we interact with our surroundings and opening up new possibilities for creative expression.
Q: Where do you go, or what do you look to, for inspiration in your artwork?
A: My inspiration comes from a wide range of sources, and I don’t always look to other sculptors. I find myself drawn to unexpected places, whether it’s the vibrant color gradients of a Louis Vuitton duffel bag, the bold shapes in graffiti art, or the striking forms of brutalist architecture. I’m constantly observing the world around me, finding beauty and inspiration in the diverse textures, colors, and structures that exist in both everyday objects and monumental designs.
Q: Can you walk us through a piece you’re currently working on and what your creative process looks like?
A: I’m currently working on my largest piece to date, a commission for a financial company in Utah called Capita. It will be a wall sculpture for their reception area, measuring 8 feet tall and 14 feet wide. The sculpture will be broken down into nine separate s, and my process is adapted to suit the specific nature of this project. For this particular piece, which will have a fabric-like surface, I started by creating a fabric template at 50% scale. I manipulated the fabric until I found a flow that felt right, which I then used as a reference during the carving process, much like how a painter might reference a photograph. Once the flow is determined, I carve each individual , then go through three rounds of sanding, sandblasting, and finally, painting. With a four-month timeline, I’m currently working overtime to meet the approaching deadline. I’m fortunate to have one full-time assistant, Christian Ramirez, who’s involved in every step of the process except the carving stage. He’s truly my partner-in-crime and I couldn’t accomplish these large projects without his and expertise.
Q: Your work was shared in a video on the Instagram , Daily Dose of Art (@art_dailydose, which has 19 million followers), last fall and has more than 630,000 likes. Did you know they were going to share your work?
A: I had no idea that Daily Dose of Art was going to share my work. It’s actually pretty common for other Instagram s focused on art and design to share my videos, but I try not to focus on that too much. I’m actually a pretty sensitive person, so I avoid paying attention to the engagement or comments on my work, whether it’s from other s or my own posts. I find it more peaceful to create with blinders on, without being influenced by outside commentary. This way, I can stay true to my vision.
Q: You have multiple videos on your Instagram (@nugewants) with millions of views; what do you think it is about your work and your process that seems to get people’s attention in this way?
A: I’ve put a lot of effort into crafting videos that are not only entertaining enough to hold people’s attention in the fast-paced world of social media, but also informative enough to showcase the layers of work behind the scenes. I think this combination of entertainment and insight resonates with viewers, as it allows them to see the process, which leads to a deeper appreciation of the final product.
Q: Where can people currently see your work?
A: Currently, people can see my work at L&G Projects, a gallery in La Jolla, as well as at my studio in Escondido, where I keep finished pieces. Additionally, I show with galleries in San Francisco, Dallas, Whistler B.C., and Singapore. I’m also proud to have 10 pieces displayed at various Tiffany & Co. stores around the world.
Q: What’s been challenging about your work, specifically with the materials you use, and also more generally?
A: The most challenging aspect of working with wood is that, despite being “dead,” it’s still very much a living material. Wood responds to its environment, so I’m always mindful of how I prep each to prevent issues like cupping or warping. Factors like humidity and the season can affect how the material behaves, making it temperamental at times. I’m constantly learning how to better control and work with it. In addition to wood, I’ve ventured into other materials, including felt, concrete, plaster, and ceramics. Right now, ceramics has truly captured my heart. It’s finicky and difficult to master, but that’s part of what makes it so compelling to me. It challenges me in ways that push my creativity further.
Q: What’s been rewarding about this work?
A: The reward in this work remains the same today as it was when I made my first cutting board in 2016-it’s extremely fulfilling to me to have the sense of ownership over every step of the process, from concept to execution. I take immense pride in that. This is my ion and it’s something I’m always thinking about. There’s never a sense of dread or burnout; instead, I’m constantly driven to push my craft further and grow with each piece.
Q: What has this work taught you about yourself?
A: My work has taught me both patience and resilience. Much like life, nothing ever unfolds perfectly, and I’ve learned to embrace the challenges that come with each project. I don’t think I’ve ever completed a piece without encountering some obstacles along the way. These hurdles have forced me to be patient and to tap into my problem-solving skills.
Q: What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
A: The best advice I’ve ever received about art is to trust the process. Early on, I was often focused on the end result and wanting to produce my “best” work, but I’ve learned that embracing the journey and the ups and downs along the way leads to growth and discovery. Art isn’t always about perfection, it’s about exploration, learning, and letting go of control sometimes. A lot of times, some of my best works have come from projects where mistakes were made and I had to pivot, which resulted in a much better outcome.
Q: What is one thing people would be surprised to find out about you?
A: Because I am fairly fit, people often find it surprising that I have severe sleep apnea and require a AP machine to sleep every night. I need it to not choke in my sleep. 🙂
Q: Please describe your ideal San Diego weekend.
A: My ideal weekend in San Diego would involve a few simple pleasures: enjoying ramen on Convoy Street, taking a relaxing stroll along the beach, catching a movie at Cinepolis, attending CRSSD festival only on Sunday because my body can’t handle two-day festivals anymore, and watching the hang gliders at Torrey Pines as the sun sets. Any of these activities in any order.
