Walter Hyleck joined the Berea College faculty in 1967 after completing his undergraduate degree at the University of Minnesota-Duluth and his MFA at Tulane University in New Orleans. During his 40 years at Berea, he has served as Director of the Ceramic Apprenticeship Program and as Chair of the Art Department.

A master craftsman and artist, Hyleck has been recognized by Berea College with the Seabury Award for Excellence, by the Commonwealth of Kentucky with the prestigious Al Smith Fellowship, and his work has been exhibited in over 250 national and international museums, including the Smithsonian and the Museum of Contemporary Crafts in New York.

Perhaps one of his most ingenious accomplishments is his teapot design.