David Walker was born in Manchester, England in 1941. From 1958-63 he studied silversmithing, ceramics, industrial design and design methodology at the Manchester College of Art and Design. He moved to Australia in 1964 working as lecturer, designer and craftsman, and from 1974-83 was Head of Crafts (ceramics, textiles/film, 3D design/jewellery/metal) in the School of Art and Design at the Western Australian Institute of Technology. In 1980 he had study leave in Great Britain, the United States and France, examining post-graduate craft education and was also visiting artist in the Department of Jewellery Design at the Central School of Art and Design, London. He was elected chairman of the Co-ordinating Committee of the Jewellers and Metalsmiths Group of Australia in 1984.

 CJM