Today we’d like to introduce you to Chop x Dice.
Chop x Dice, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I grew up surrounded by strong role models. The men in my life were technical, logical, and organized. The women were passionate, expressive, and creative. For many years I leaned into the technical side. I earned an engineering degree, built five-year plans, and worked tirelessly toward clear goals.
Then the world stopped.
During the pandemic I found myself at home, surrounded by stacks of vintage books and magazines I had collected while thrifting. I’ve always loved the feel of old paper, the matte finish of the pages, and the novelty of film photography. One day I cut into a 1965 National Geographic and everything shifted. That single act opened the door to a new world of creativity.
At first it was a hobby, a way to pass time, but soon I realized it was something deeper. When I cut, layered, and assembled paper, I disappeared into a flow state. Time dissolved. I was no one, in no place. I wasn’t thinking, planning, or strategizing. I was simply being. That contrast to the rigid, logical mindset I had built for myself changed everything.
I taught myself the craft with an X-Acto knife and experimented with glues until I could create clean, finished pieces. Still, something felt missing. Collages made from vintage paper were special—each one unique and impossible to replicate—but I wanted more. So I began layering. Elevating the paper. Creating shadows, depth, and dimension. Suddenly the static pages came alive. Stories emerged.
Over time the process became more than a passion. It became my identity. Every night from eight to ten is art time. No excuses. No waiting for inspiration. I create, piece by piece, night after night. I recently finished my 500th artwork, and I have no intention of slowing down.
The turning point for me as an artist was realizing that art is a numbers game. I work, I plan, I create. I celebrate a piece for a moment, then move on to the next. The consistency builds the vision. The vision builds the identity. And the identity frees me to be nothing but a vessel for the universe to express itself.
I started showing my work when I had only ten pieces in my portfolio. I feared rejection, convinced people wouldn’t connect to my art the way I did. I was wrong. I sent out countless emails to galleries, cafes, and even museums. For years the answer was no. Until finally, one clothing store said yes. They gave me a single wall. That led to group shows, then solo walls, and now entire galleries filled with my work.
My philosophy has always been the same. Seek flow. Enter the space where time disappears. Where the self dissolves. Where art creates itself through you.
That philosophy is at the core of Chop x Dice (CxD). Born in Abu Dhabi and raised in California, I draw from both cultures to create work that feels global yet deeply personal. With over 500 completed works, I’ve built a reputation for discipline and consistency, transforming vintage magazines, posters, and frames into singular, unrepeatable artworks alive with light, depth, and meaning.
The themes of my work move fluidly. Sometimes they act as time capsules of mid-century nostalgia. Other times they are psychedelic explorations of color and form. At moments they cut sharply into political commentary on the shape of the world today. Each piece is both a revival and a reinvention, turning what was once overlooked into an artwork that sparks curiosity and invites reflection.
Every work is singular. Every work is irreplicable. Each one gains meaning and value as it ages.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road hasn’t been smooth, but the challenges have shaped me into the artist I am today. One of the first struggles was rewiring my own mind. I had spent years building myself into a logical, technical thinker, so becoming an artist required me to train my brain in a completely new way.
At first it was simple curiosity. Then it became consistency. Over time, through repetition and practice, it became my identity. I started with a small corner of my room that was dedicated only to art. I made it a rule that I would sit there only to create. Eventually my brain began to associate that corner with making art, until the habit was automatic.
The truth is, lasting change begins in the mind. You have to replace old limiting thoughts with empowering ones. You have to feel the emotions of who you want to become as if you are already that person. When you align your thoughts, feelings, and actions with your future identity every single day, your brain rewires itself. That’s how neuroplasticity works. Through daily practice you train your body to follow your mind. It’s not overnight, but repetition turns possibility into reality.
Another challenge was finding my own style. In the beginning, I didn’t realize how much time that takes. Style isn’t something you decide on in a moment, it’s the byproduct of thousands of hours of practice. The more I worked, the more I discovered which mediums and materials felt natural to me. It wasn’t about creating something that no one else had ever done before. It was about finding an approach that brought me joy and allowed me to enter flow. That’s when I knew I had found my voice as an artist.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
By day I am a systems engineer, building intricate models for large organizations. That work is highly technical, structured, and precise. While it doesn’t directly influence my art, it has shaped the way I approach my creative process. I create lists, I strategize my time, and I hold myself accountable to finishing what I start.
By night I step into a different identity. The balance keeps me sharp. Engineering exercises the logical side of my mind. Art frees the expressive side. Together they create a rhythm that keeps me grounded and inspired.
What I am most proud of is the discipline I’ve built around my art. Creativity isn’t something I wait for it’s something I practice every single day. That consistency has allowed me to produce hundreds of works, refine my style, and stay connected to the joy of creating.
People often ask what sets me apart from other artists, but I don’t really entertain that question. This isn’t about comparison for me. Art is my passion, my world, and in that world there is only me. I don’t spend time worrying about who might copy my style, sell more pieces, or produce more work. None of that matters. In my world, I am the creator. The act of making is its own reward.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
From the very beginning I’ve stayed true to the mission that started this journey: to create novelty.
The beauty of my work comes from vintage paper and layered construction, but its true value lies in the fact that I will never stop creating. Each piece is part of a larger body of work that grows with me over time. My reputation will evolve as I evolve, and the value of my art will grow with that journey.
I envision a future where I have produced over 10,000 pieces, collaborated across the globe, and filled entire museums with my work. I imagine billboards covered in my three-dimensional collages, shifting with the light as the sun rises and sets.
What excites me most is not only the art itself, but the community it creates the friendships, the conversations, and the shared pursuit of flow. This is only the beginning, and I look forward to covering the world with art, one piece at a time.
Pricing:
- $2998, Title: COLLAPSE OF THE SELF
- $9969. Title: INFINITE GROOVE
- $1998. Title: SKULLS
- $2299. Title: ECHO OF SUPREMACY
- $3339. Title: WORLD ABLAZE
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.chopxdice.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chopxdice
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@chopxdice
Image Credits
I have paid off the photographer, so I have rights to all the images.
