After graduating from the University of North Carolina Wilmington in 2005 with a Bachelors of Arts in Education, Sean D. Ruttkay decided to follow his passion for the ocean and start a business. It was then that EDA Surf Art was born. Since then, Ruttkay has traveled the world shooting the aesthetic of water, sold thousands of art pieces to customers around the world, and has become a community influencer in the process. "The goal has always been the same," says Ruttkay, "to deliver the aesthetic of water to the built environment. Only then, when the wall has been effectively watered, can a built space translate the ocean's power to a passing public." Ruttkay specializes in handcrafting large custom pieces. Some of Ruttkay's corporate customers include Reef, Red Bull, Live Oak Bank, nCino Financial, and New Hanover Regional Medical Center. Ruttkay has always been focused on philanthropy, donating hundreds of art pieces to local and international charitable auction events totaling over $100,000.