Meet Riki Prosper | Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Riki Prosper and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Riki, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
Ever since I was a kid I’ve always had a affinity for art. Both of my parents were always super supporting and are huge inspirations for me. My mom has always been into photography and later in life photoshop. I remember her cutting and pasting my friends and my head on batman and friends bodies for a birthday party invitation. Also having a great art teacher in Elementary school was a huge help, major shouts to Mrs. Turner. Other than my brief dream of being a pizza tosser at Mellow mushroom as a kid, I’ve always wanted to make art for a career. From a skateboard deck designer to album cover art directors, I’ve wanted to make it all.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
When it comes to my art I think its always evolving and pivoting. Most of my art revolves around hip hop and other pop culture. Either using it in a comedic way with word play or turning regular items such as popsicles into rapsicles based on some of my favorite rappers. I believe it was Dan Harmon, creator of Rick and Morty and Community, said spiders don’t spend their whole life making one web. They make a web, and then move on. Some times the web is just a eye sore in the corner but sometimes you see it sparkling with morning dew in just the right light and its amazing. You just have to create what you want, put it out into the world and see how the world reacts, but then just get right back to creating. This past year I’ve been able to put out an art project a month. Had some hitters and some misses. And thats just how it is. Albeit I do study and research what people react to and try to aim towards that direction. I have a huge list on my computer that I add to any time I think of a possible art idea. Just creating, putting it out into the world, and repeat.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If a friend was visiting Atlanta, a few places I would take them is Piedmont Park, the botanical gardens, the High, J.R. Crickets, Torched Hop Brewery, and then a general walk or scooter ride through downtown.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
The biggest person I’d love to shoutout is my mom for being a strong and artistic icon to me my whole life. A big motivator for me is trying to get her a beach house so that she can live comfortably. I’d also like to thank all my friends and people who support me and my artwork from just commenting on social media posts to buying some of my merchandise or prints. It all means the world to me.

Website: rikiprosper.com

Instagram: instagram.com/rikiprosper/

Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/riki-prosper-kujanpaa-274571a7/

Twitter: twitter.com/RikiProsper

Facebook: facebook.com/RikiProsper

Youtube: youtube.com/channel/UCE50hj1fyBNrzJjZ3EoubvA

Image Credits
All images are artwork from Riki Prosper