William E. Walton, 79, sculptor, teacher

William E. Walton, 79, of Philadelphia, a sculptor and printmaker who also taught for many years at Moore College of Art, died of brain cancer Friday, April 9, at Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center in Camden.

Mr. Walton started his artistic career in printmaking but quickly added sculptures to his exhibitions. His minimalist sculptures, which were often installation pieces of found objects assembled to evoke a sense of continuity in nature, became more well-known in the art world.

"He was such a poet with any kind of sculpture," said Richard Torchia, Arcadia University gallery director. He added that the placement of the sculptures in a room and their relation to one another created the poetic harmony in Mr. Walton's work.

Mr. Walton's small-scale sculptures, made of mostly wood and metal, were part of many local exhibitions, including the permanent collection at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, as well as shows in New York City and San Francisco.

His art in many ways was a reflection of who he was, according to those who knew him.

"Bill was a loner . . . but was open to people who understood him," said Philadelphia-based artist Eileen Neff. Once they understood him, people couldn't help but love him, she said.

"There was something very dear about him, very unique and very wonderful," Neff said.

To the average eye, Mr. Walton's art could seem plain at first - a few rectangular blocks of iron stacked together or two mini-tables hanging next to each other on a wall - but those who looked closer saw a lot of fine detail.

His work was all about the "great subtleties," Neff said.

As a teacher at Moore for 20 years, he was much the same: very direct and honest while graceful in his style, Torchia said.

"There was material poetry in everything that he did," he said.

Mr. Walton was born in Camden and raised in Brooklawn, graduating from Gloucester City High School in 1949.

He then went into the Navy and traveled around the world, working as an electronics technician, for four years.

After the Korean War, Mr. Walton returned home and studied at the Institute of Design in Chicago. There, he learned about printmaking. After two years of college, he left.

In 1955, he married Jean Morrison. A few years later, the couple moved to Brooklawn, where Mr. Walton worked at area print shops. He always had a little studio on the side, though, his now ex-wife Jean said.

From 1963 to the early 1980s, the couple lived in North Wales. They divorced in 1981, and Mr. Walton moved to Philadelphia.

In 1969, Mr. Walton started teaching at Moore and his art career also took off, his ex-wife said. He retired from Moore in 1997.

Mr. Walton's work reflected his hobbies and interests. He loved the outdoors and often took road trips west to go fly-fishing. He would sleep in the back of his pickup truck, his son David said.

During the summer, he went surf-fishing at the Shore.

In addition to his son, Mr. Walton is survived by daughters Cecily Walton and Beth Heebner; six grandchildren; a sister; a second wife of 20 years, Joyce Schwaller, whom he recently divorced; and a companion, Jane Irish.

On Saturday, May 1, the Print Center in Philadelphia will open Tracings/Transfers/Copies/Forgeries, an exhibition of Mr. Walton's work of the last 30 years.

A reception to celebrate Mr. Walton's life and art will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 26, at the Print Center, 1614 Latimer St.