Biography
Erskine was born in London. From an early age he displayed an enquiring disposition towards all things mechanical. At 4 years of age he successfully locked, without keys, the family’s late 50’s Kelvinator fridge and aged 6 he started dismantling the family car, after which it was decided that his fathers' tool chest must be kept firmly locked! He then progressed to using the family cutlery as stone carving tools and a personal turning point took place in 1967, aged13, he was taken to St Paul de Vence, Provence, to visit the Maeght Art Foundation. The exhibition was of paintings by Marc Chagall and a memorial exhibition of sculpture by Giacometti, who had recently died. Enquiring as to the meaning of a huge banner across the road to the museum proclaiming the word ‘SCULPTURE’, he was told to go inside to see. The exhibition confirmed that what he wanted to do was 'make sculpture'.

At high school he had his first exhibition, which consisted of 8 large abstract carved blocks of plaster. After completing high school he studied sculpture at Kingston School of Art and Design, Kingston Polytechnic, gaining a BA(Hons) degree in fine art sculpture, and completed post-graduate studies in sculpture, gaining an MA in fine art sculpture, under Professor Reg Butler at the Slade School of Fine Art, University College, London.

Trained in stone carving, ceramics, drawing, metal working, and welding, Erskine often works in wrought and welded bronze, stainless steel, and copper alloys. Drawing is central to the development of his ideas. Among the many areas of focus is his fascination with the endless energy and rhythm of passing crowd forms, which make up the cityscape.

Erskine’s work is internationally renowned and he has exhibited widely in Japan, Europe, Great Britain, and the USA; most notably a solo exhibition of sculpture and related two-dimensional works at the World Headquarters of Pfizer Pharmaceutical Inc, New York. This exhibition then went on tour to other major cities across the USA.

Erskine has created numerous monumental landmark sculptures throughout the UK and Europe, related to people and industrial contexts. The summer of 2000 saw the completion for the City of Peterborough of a landmark sculpture, ‘Power Rhythm’, a 50ft high stainless steel monolith.

In 1999 he represented Great Britain at the European City of Culture Sculpture Symposium, ‘A Sea of Steel’, hosted by Holland. Of the 12 participating countries, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands awarded Erskine's steel sculpture, ‘White Rhythm’, weighing in at 13.5 tons, first prize. The sculpture is sited permanently in the sculpture park of Week aan Zee. The Hakone Open Air Museum of Sculpture, Japan, awarded his sculpture ‘Sky Thought’ the marquette of excellence,at the International Sculpture Biennale, 1992. For his sculpture ‘Quintisection’, a massive stainless steel piece sited in Durham, he was awarded by the Royal British Society of Sculptors the 1994 international Sir Otto Beit Award for the most outstanding new public sculpture worldwide and in 1996 his landmark sculpture ‘Roll Down’ sited at Bilston, West Midlands, was nominated for the Anderson Sculpture Prize.

The Courtauld Institute and the Public Monuments and Sculptures Association recently awarded Erskine’s public and landmark sculptures the status of permanent public monuments in acknowledgement of his contribution to the heritage and culture of the nation.

Erskine is a visiting lecturer at the Frink School of Figurative Sculpture, Stoke on Trent. and presently he is undertaking a sculpture commission for the World Headquarters of ORT, (Organisation for Rehabilitation and Training) London, as well as a major public sculpture for the regeneration of Tunstall and Manchester. In addition to the creation of his ongoing sculptures, he is also developing design products commissioned for orthopaedic and neurological care.

His work is held in many private and public collections around the world.

Associate of the Royal Society of British Sculptors 1993.

Fellowship of the Royal Society of British Sculptors 1996.

Education
1970-71 - Ealing School of Art and Design, London. Foundation Studies in Painting, Sculpture, Graphics, Textile Design, Photography, Printing, Life Drawing
1971-76 - Kingston School of Art and Design, Kingston Polytechnic, Kingston Upon Thames, Surrey. Awarded B.A. (Hons.) Degree, Fine Art Sculpture
1976-78 - Slade School of Fine Art, University College London. Postgraduate degree studies in Fine Art Sculpture. Awarded M.A. Sculpture
1979 - Chelsea School of Art. Higher Certificate in Interior Design

Selected Exhibitions
2005 - Friends of the Frink School of Figurative Sculpture, Summer Exhibition
1999 - World Headquarters of Pfizer Pharmaceutical Inc, New York, USA
1998 - Royal Society Of British Sculptors, Summer Show.
1998 - East End Open Studios Exhibition.
1997 - Royal Society Of British Sculptors, Summer Show.
1997 - East End Open Studios Exhibition.
1996 - East End Open Studios Exhibition.
1995 - Outdoor Summer Exhibition Of Sculpture At Osterly Park, London, marking The Centenary Of The National Trust.
1994 - Invited Sculptor at the International Welding And Metal Working Exhibition, Birmingham
1994 - Hannah Peschar Sculpture Garden, Summer Exhibition, Sussex.
1994 - The Trade Indemnity Centre, City of London, Sculpture In The City Exhibition.
1992 - Anna Bournholt Gallery, London
1992 - The Hakone Open-Air Museum, Fujisankei Biennale, Japan
1991 - Andrew Usiskin Gallery, London
1990 - Andrew Usiskin Gallery, London
1989 - Andrew Usiskin Gallery, London
1988 - The Yorkshire Sculpture Park
1987 - The Yorkshire Sculpture Park
1986 - The Yorkshire Sculpture Park
1985 - The Ben Uri Gallery, London
1984 - The Yorkshire sculpture Park; The Ben Uri, One-Man Show, London
1983 - The Showroom Gallery, London; The Ben Uri Gallery, London
1982 - Libertey & Co Sculpture Exhibition.
1981 - Sculpture At The Times, Grays Inn Road, London.
1977-79 - Mall Galleries, London