Ed Walker, Associate Professor of Art
MFA Rochester Institute of Technology, 1991
BFA Millikin University, 1985
Ed Walker oversees the Graphic Design major and teaches or has taught all the core courses in Graphic Design including Production Techniques, Illustration, Typography, Computer Art & Design, Ad Agency, and Portfolio. He also co-teaches The Art of Publishing Class with Dr. Brooks from which the student run publishing company "Bronze Man Books" was successfully launched.
He is also Director of the Birks Museum, the decorative arts museum on the campus at Millikin University. He has worked closely with community organizations by serving as a board member as well as consultant for area groups including the Decatur Area Arts Council and the Macon County History Museum.
He developed the nationally recognized Prairie Art and Architecture Conference featuring lectures, tours and exhibits related to Decatur landmarks. His research focuses on the aesthetics of architecture and the importance of design in public spaces. As an exhibition curator, he has brought many important exhibits to Millikin University and the Decatur community. Most recently a retrospective exhibit with accompanying book on the sculptor/designer Alphonso Iannelli who worked with Frank Lloyd Wright on the Midway Gardens Chicago project in 1914. He has published books about regional artists Frederick Oakes Sylvester and Robert Marshall Root. He also completed a monograph on the life and work of the educator and printmaker Ray George.
Professor Walker has been a professional Fine Art and Antiques Appraiser accredited with the International Society of Appraisers since 1998 and specializes in institutional and estate appraisals. He brings to the profession a broad background in research, professional scholarship, and years of experience in the fine art and antiques field.