Joining Conserv with a Passion for Creative Problem Solving

by | Dec 20, 2019 | Blog

As a Front-End Developer with Conserv, knowing that the work I’m doing will go to further the reach of mankind’s creativity and extend it to generations to come checks all of my boxes.

Hey, I’m Alex Townley! I’m an Alabama native and a Birmingham resident of two and a half years. I’m a musician, a designer, a developer, a photographer, a sound and recording engineer, a puzzle solver, a thinker, a dreamer, and a lifelong learner. I come alive where creativity meets technology.

Taking things apart is fun

I’ve spent most of my life taking things apart to see what was going on inside. As a kid, I was regularly taking my toys apart, and while I very rarely managed to put them back together again the right way, my curiosity overwhelmed the fear of a broken toy. In my teens I somehow managed to turn that terrible behavior into a job as a vending machine repair technician, where my exact job was to completely disassemble the machines, fix what was broken, and put it back together. And when I was done, things worked! What fun!

Problem solving, puzzles, etc.

In the golden age of dial up internet, I started picking apart websites to teach myself how to build them. I built them for friends, for businesses, for fun, for learning, for any reason I could come up with. In my twenties, I was the assistant manager of a cell phone repair shop. I pioneered risky repairs that other technicians were unwilling to try, which led to being asked to train people regionally, discovering that I was able to think about these sorts of things in a way that was elusive to others, like puzzles that needed the right elements to solve. And this sort of problem solving just clicked for me.

Creativity with stolen things

My creativity began budding at 16 when I started teaching myself to play music on a bass that had been shoved into my hands by a friend (which, unbeknownst to me, had been stolen by my friend from his friend). I eventually obtained a camera and started creating digital art with cutting edge, possibly pirated software (don’t worry, I pay for everything I use now), learning to blend the websites I was building with imagery to create better design. I spent lots of time with other musicians, artists, creatives and creators, developing a deeper appreciation for art and a belief that nothing else in the history of mankind has as profound of an impact on humanity as human creativity.

My future self is a famous musician

My lifelong cultivation of creativity, puzzle solving, and technology has shaped what my life looks like today. These days, I’m holding down the low end on bass in an all-original indie pop band called Juco, with three singles and an EP on Spotify (check us out), most of which I’ve personally recorded. We’re currently playing three to four shows a month and are working our way to bigger stages and audiences. I’ve also played on numerous recordings for friends, with other bands, and in studio sessions, engineered recording sessions myself, and recorded with some top producers.

Coding bootcamp to software developer

I am also a recent graduate from the Innovate Birmingham Software Development Bootcamp. I’ve spent the past few years in web and graphic design, but as a software developer, I feel like I’m finally doing what I should have been doing for years. Innovate Birmingham set me up for success in a career I never thought I’d be qualified to pursue. I’m giddy writing code that works, solving problems like intricate puzzles, writing clean, quality, efficient code that creates not only an aesthetically pleasing user experience but easy-to-use functionality that just works the way you’d want it to.

I’m happy to bring my technical and creative mind to Conserv. I believe that what we offer will add a lot of value to mankind, aiding in the conservation of art and artifacts that have meant so much to those who behold the art. Through strengthening the ability of conservators to extend the lifetime of things that have such great cultural significance and impact, Conserv will ensure that the significant impact of man’s creativity and history reaches far into the future. This is work I’m proud of.

 

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