Barton Rivera, of Ola de Agua attended FIT's Menswear Design program and worked in the industry for years before transitioning into event production management.

 

He began to study jewelry making under Fred de Vos, a renowned jewelry designer and teacher based in New York City.

 

 At first, it was a hobby, an activity that was both challenging and creative. He found the process of wax carving and finishing very meditative. He was inspired by his fellow students who had their own jewelry lines. As he started to hone his craft, a jewelry line inspired by industrial design and the movement of the ocean began to take shape.