Alexander Stockdale

I work at the intersection of art, technology, and nature, building digital solutions that ground online infrastructure in real-world utility. With over a decade of experience balanced between the screen and the field, my focus is on turning code into context—crafting web experiences designed to spark community engagement and drive tangible impact.

This interdisciplinary approach is rooted in my BA in Interactive Arts and Media (2015) from Columbia College Chicago. Today, it shapes my work for the Forest Preserves of Cook County, where I design, develop, and maintain web content that connects the public with the natural world.

My professional foundation includes a long tenure in graphics and marketing at Hydro, Inc., alongside a diverse freelance portfolio for organizations like Cognizant, Clovis, and Century 21 S.G.R. I have also contributed design and development expertise to local startups and independent publications, including The Lyric Exchange and The Sick Muse.

Fueled by the transience of nature and everyday life, my artwork captures the fleeting play of light, shadow, and form through an impressionistic lens. My practice centers on a polychromatic array of India ink paintings and expressive brushwork on paper and panels—layered narratives rooted in nature journaling and urban sketching that merge observation with personal imagination.

In tandem, my work with salvaged wood extends this practice into direct ecological action. Inspired by the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi, I transform invasive buckthorn into organic canvases, letting natural knots, decay, and weathered imperfections dictate the composition while advocating for native wildflower and woodland restoration.

These pieces have been featured in a range of regional exhibitions and venues, including Art City, the Oak Park Art League, the Andersonville Galleria, the Trailside Museum of Natural History, and the Trickster Cultural Center.

My music explores the "ghost in the machine"—infusing digital precision with analog soul. Under the solo alias alixplox, I’ve carved out a signature synthwave sound across EPs like Offworlds (2021) and Cosmic Cruise (2022). My tracks have also been featured by game director David Jaffe (God of War, Twisted Metal), notably my "Quake Zone Rumble" cover on his GABBIN+GAMES podcast.

This same synth-driven DNA shapes Circus in the Sea, an ethereal wave outfit where I serve as co-writer, producer, and keyboardist. Blending drum machines, dreamlike vocals, and heavy guitar undertones, our discography spans the EP Incognito (2015) to the albums Holly the Spectre (2018) and Sea-Sides (2026). As a live four-piece act, we’ve brought our set to iconic Chicago venues like Subterranean, Beat Kitchen, and The Hideout.

I am always open to commissions, gallery exhibitions, and multimedia collaborations. Whether you have a vision for a custom piece of art or a new technical venture, let’s connect and explore how we can create something meaningful together.