Walter Kruse was born in San Francisco, California in 1954.

A fine craftsman and artist, Walter´s varied work experience over the years has included boat building and renovation, fine cabinetry and furniture making as well as theatre set design. From 1984 to 1993, he had a successful fine wood-working shop in New York City. He moved to San Sebastián, Spain in 1993 after meeting his wife, Aizpea Goenaga, an actress, writer and director. He currently paints and draws at his studio in San Sebastián. They have two children.

Walter received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1980 from the University of California Santa Cruz. It was there that he met his mentor and friend, the late Spanish artist Miguel Arguello (1941-2005). This relationship and Arguello´s artistic influence are two of the major factors which have shaped Walter´s work.