Alexander Suelto is painting the town.
Suelto, also known on Instagram as @swollenfinger, is an artist and longtime Stockton resident whose ballpoint pen drawings and vibrant paintings have radiated throughout social media and the Central Valley and Bay Area.
As a former Delta College student, Suelto took graphic design courses that helped him explore his interest in art before attending the Academy of Art University in San Francisco.
Suelto reflects that his education helped him in “building a work ethic, not hesitating to like, create from A to B, being able to finish something, not being so intimidated by the process.”
There, he learned traditional artistic styles and techniques that he incorporates into his work. Upon the completion of his degree, he returned to Stockton as co-owner of his former business, Infiniti 209, and to explore opportunities in art, eventually leading him to meet the people that opened doors for him to produce murals in downtown.
His passion and enthusiasm for art is not only seen on his social media page, but on the walls of Stockton. Some of his works include a collaboration with such as Jeremey Johnson (Instagram @kolourlab) by the name of Tentecle, and former tribute to Stockton developer, Tim Ekgan.
In July 2023, Suelto along with Huddle CoWork began the application process to receive financial support for the project.
The funding for this undertaking was provided through a grant from the federal government known as the American Rescue Plant Act (ARPA). The Downtown Stockton Alliance (DSA) was able to launch the Downtown Stockton Business Façade Improvement Grant Program which assists small businesses in Downtown Stockton that are in desperate need of renovations and improvements.
The goal of the grant is not only to fix what is broken, but to restore the allure of Downtown Stockton by adding life to its historic buildings; and that is what Alexander Suelto wants to bring back to those valuable sites.
“My goal is to bring people together and give them something that will add color to their life in their everyday life,” said Suelto.
The mural, completed on Sept. 1, is titled, “We Build Amongst Giants.”
Depicted are five birds in a nest with a naval sea mine attached, one of Suelto’s signature designs.
“I wanted this mural to start off very “poppy” and in your face,” said Suelto.
The bright blue background and the energetic green stand out from the antique structures that surround; it is impossible to miss.
When reflecting on the meaning of the mural, Suelto said the mural was meant to represent how a community can come together and be uplifted to higher things when working with each other. His hopes and gratitude for Stockton are reflected on the mural and for him, Stockton has been the backdrop for his growth as an artist and as a father.
“I like raising my family here and I feel like there’s a lot of opportunity for people to grow here, it’s like hometown,” Suelto said.
Suelto’s works do not only accomplish the establishment of presence but they also represent an abundant sense of pride and strong sense of community.
Shaun Chatrath from the DSA said, the goal of having such wonders is “creating this community, gathering-type of culture …. you create that atmosphere where people want to come together, take pictures at it, look at it …there’s a positive feeling, there’s a feeling of community that is added to that that otherwise wouldn’t be there.”
Suelto hopes to work on more projects for the city in the future and like the historical buildings he paints on, he hopes his art will withstand time as well.