Each Month We Feature An Artist That Inspire Us.
Name: Robin Erispe
Location: Cape Town South Africa
Mixed media: Digital illustration artist
Social Media:  Instagram: @planrob Behance: Planrob
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robin.erispe

FIVE QUESTIONS
1. If you could meet any artist (past/present) who would it be? And why? 
If I could meet any artist ever, I think it would have to be Salvador Dalí. In my own work, I try to create dark dreamlike visuals that bend reality in a conceptual way that entices viewers as they attempt to encode the illustration, and for this, there has been no greater inspiration than the master of surrealism himself. There is so much meaning and emotion in each of his artworks you could literally stare any given one for hours trying to figure it out. To be able to sit down with him and take a peek into the genius mind behind the breath-taking artworks would be a dream come true.

2. Did your childhood environment have any influence on your creativity?
I’m not sure, I’m a first-generation creative in my family, no one else has done anything even remotely related to art. However, I did grow up in a very supportive environment in terms of my parents always encouraging me to draw more when they saw I took an interest in it. I can’t be certain, but I think the creativity has just been something that was always there I just had to develop it, which I’m still working on today.

3. Do you have any tips or inspiring words for others? 
I would say that the career of art or illustration is not an easy one, its lots of work, lots of hours alone, late nights, lots of self-doubts and much more but if it’s truly what you want to do and you feel it’s the right thing for you then you should never give up even when it gets tough and you feel like you can’t do it anymore, and it will get to that point, but in the end, if it’s really meant for you then you should pursue it through all the hard times because while it's extremely challenging it’s also one of the most rewarding fields you can go into. It’s not everyone that gets the ability to express raw emotion, create images straight out of their imagination, and inspire imagination in others. If you have the urge and ability to do that you shouldn’t keep it from the world no matter what.

4. What does "being creative" mean to you? 
To me “being creative” is just a way of life, if you’re a creative person then there’s creativity in everything you do, the way you dress, the way you style your hair, how you talk, even the way you eat your food. It’s in every little thing but to me, it also means being able to create, to bring something into the world that that’s purely you and wouldn’t exist without you being the catalyst for it. Bringing something which was completely intangible in your imagination and pulling it out and bringing it into reality.

5. On a lighter note what Muppet character best fits your personality? And why?
I think I’m definitely a Beaker, as much as I’d hate to admit it. A constant look of anxiety and somehow always unwilling to get me into crazy situations and feeling like a test subject. Also, no one understands his language and I can really relate to that sometimes I feel like I can’t truly express myself verbally, I guess that’s why I draw pictures.