Walt's success was in the making decades ago when he drew cartoons for his high school newspaper. His whole life has been, in fact, preparation for the magic that he now produces as a sculptor.

The son of an Air Force colonel, Walt moved constantly and soon found him pencil became his best friend. He recalls his first experience with "art" when he found it necessary to quiet an antagonist in grade school by passing around a cartoon of the unpleasant schoolmate. Encouraged by the success of this ploy he continued to doodle and didn't put the pencil down until he'd established a successful international cartooning career.

1993 brought a new direction when Walt was given an opportunity to sculpt and was smitten with a love of 3 dimensional art. Humor was his forte and cartooning had taught him the art of capturing emotion and action. When these lessons were applied to bronze his name exploded on the sculpture scene. Working with clay, Walt found a special talent for depicting the innocence of children and imbuing animals with personality. Walt has come a long way since he received his first check in 1972 for painting the word "MLK" on a sign for a gas station.

Seconds after meeting Walt, you will begin to detect his otter-like view of life. When it snows in his beautiful mountain home outside of Vail, Colorado, you can be sure Walt is making snowballs. Humor built his reputation and fed two growing boys, but another passion has emerged in recent years. Now he takes delight in bringing salient moments to "life". The extensive background research for each new piece is something Walt and his wife Peggy, enjoy doing together.

Born in Ft. Worth, Texas in 1949 Walt received the middle name of French, his mother's family name. To sculpture lovers this name rings a bell as Daniel Chester French is undeniably America's greatest sculptor. Walt always found Mr. French's work a great inspiration and research will tell if their ability to make beautiful things is purely coincidental or is a shared family trait.

A great sculpture is not an accident; it is a labor of love. It begins with an idea and takes a journey form the purely imaginary to the very physical world in which we live. There are few people who can make that happen. Walter French Horton has done that not just once but many times and his work will continue to be enjoyed and inspire generations to come.