Walter ran a successful plumbing company in Jackson, MS from the late 70's through the 90's . Throughout that period he pursued black and white photography as an art form before becoming interested in metal work and blacksmithing. He soon began a metal work business specializing in hand made furniture, and other useful hand forged architectural pieces and metal sculpture. He was a member of the MS Craftsman guild until moving to Oxford in 1999. In 2001 he built his current blacksmith shop in Lafayette County which is just down the lane from Oxford Treehouse Gallery. 

His move to Oxford provided the opportunity to study ceramics at the University of Mississippi where he was fortunate to be exposed to a rich world of great ceramicists. Walter also has a great love for woodwork and set up a wood shop in order to do all of the millwork and much of the furniture for his new house and for Oxford Treehouse Gallery. 

After finishing the gallery space and new home on the gallery property, he is back in the metal shop and wood shop making sculptural and functional ornamental ironwork and furniture.

Walter received a 2019 artist fellowship grant from the Mississippi Arts Commission.