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Mark Barata at his East Village shop. Photos by Jason Ruiz.<\/em><\/p>\n The Arts District is home to numerous boutiques, exhibits and cafes that proudly display the creativity that courses through the city\u2019s veins. That fertile atmosphere of innovation was something that Long Beach native, Mark Barata, couldn\u2019t ignore when shopping around for place to plant his custom jewelry store.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Art’s District really appealed to us because this is where people come to be creative,\u201d the 29-year-old founder, chief executive officer and first-generation jeweler said. \u201cI wanted to be in an area that\u2019s known for artists.\u201d<\/p>\n So, since 2005, Deviant Design Group–the largest purveyor of gaudy rings, iced out skate decks and other custom ornaments for the action sports community–has rested at the corner of Elm and 3rd, welcoming anyone from walk-ins to X-Games gold medalists.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve done custom jewelry pieces from a couple hundred dollars to a couple hundred thousand dollars,\u201d Barata said. \u201cI give everyone the same amount of respect when they walk into my store. I\u2019m going to do the same thing to the guy with a budget of hundred grand as someone with a more limited one.\u201d<\/p>\n The opportunity to become the jeweler-of-choice for professional skateboarding icons like Ryan Scheckler and Paul Rodriguez started with a chance encounter while designing computer chips for luxury cars. Professional skateboarder and reality TV star, Rob Dyrdek, was looking to soup up his 996 Porsche Twin Turbo when he walked into his shop. He left with a faster car as well as a friend and future business partner in Barata.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s the one that kind of paved the way for me in action sports,\u201d Barata said. \u201cHe\u2019s the one that was being interviewed by ESPN and when asked about his jewelry he said, \u2018You have to talk to this guy Mark, he does all my jewelry.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Not only did Dyrdek help finance the beginnings of DDG, but he also helped to stockpile Barata\u2019s growing roster of high-profile action sports clients. Using the technology he mastered while studying at the Jewelry Arts and Design College in Los Angeles, Barata uses 3-D computer models and laser scanning to create custom pieces that the human hand could never execute. Barata said that in addition to removing the limitations of the human hand, the technology is much more cost effective than traditional methods.<\/p>\n Barata pioneered the integration of contemporary technology into this art form that dates back to earliest times of human existence. He\u2019s one of a few certified instructors of 3-D design in the country and is constantly looking for ways to advance his craft and deviate from the norm. As Barata put it, \u201cSkate kids have gone from driving Honda Civics to driving Ferraris\u201d and their jewelry requests have mirrored their vehicle choices.<\/p>\n Utilizing expensive laser-scanning technology, he\u2019s produced replica sneaker pendants, assault rifles which are accurate down to the nuts and bolts and even a scaled down version of Christopher \u201cBig Black\u201d Boykin\u2019s face, a gift from Dyrdek who co-stars with Boykin on MTV’s Rob and Big<\/em> and Rob Dyrdek\u2019s Fantasy Factory<\/em>.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m a firm believer when I say that there is no other jewelry store in the country like Deviant Design Group,\u201d Barata said.<\/p>\n The 29-year-old doesn\u2019t fit the quintessential mold of a jeweler. He\u2019s young, covered in tattoos and plays classic rock while his customers survey the one-of-a-kind adornments that are designed in-house by Barata and his crew. He prides himself on the experience people get when visiting his store as much as he does the lustrous things he designs. When you\u2019re here, you\u2019re family.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re not 80-year-old guys sitting here in a suit and tie trying to hard sell you on a gemstone. We want it to be more of a creative, inviting atmosphere,\u201d Barata said. \u201cWe kinda want to be the anti-jeweler.\u201d<\/p>\n Barata even owns and operates a handful of small-scale gold mines in Ghana. He takes donations from friend\u2019s clothing companies and outfits the village with DDG and other skate company\u2019s gear. Although the high cost has postponed the extraction of gold from the ground, the romantic in him hopes one day he can provide his customers with an even more unique jewelry experience.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d like to say that I\u2019m probably the only jeweler that has taken gold from the ground and gemstones from the actual mines themselves and have been able to trace back their entire story and turn it into a beautiful jewelry piece that someone will enjoy for the rest of their lives,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n![\"AK47-2\"](\"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/AK47-2.JPG\")
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\u201cIf someone was going to try and hand carve a sphere, it\u2019s virtually impossible,\u201d Barata said. \u201cWith a computer, everything is absolutely flawless. There\u2019s something very romantic about hand-carved jewelry piece\u2026.I can achieve designs that human hands can\u2019t possibly achieve.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Ring1\"](\"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/Ring1.JPG\")
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