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, etching, photography, 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. He continues to expand and develop ideas.

Awards
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 maquette 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. Associate of the Royal Society of British Sculptors 1993, Fellowship 1996.

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