Author Walter P. Parks is a graduate of Stanford University with a bachelor's in history and a master's in business administration. He sits on the board of directors of several museums and is the ex-president of Mission Inn Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to the cultural preservation of southern California. He’s written two books prior to his most recent publication, in 1986, and in 2011. In 1984, Parks discovered the work of Juan Quezada while he was working as a consultant to Idyllwild Arts; this began a 27 year association with the potters of Mata Ortiz. He has written and lectured extensively on the Mata Ortiz ceramic phenomenon. He currently lives in Riverside, California.