Former College of the Canyons and California Institute of the Arts photography professor Darrell Walters died July 4 after a battle with cancer. He was 56.
Originally from Texas, Walters spent 20 years in the photography department at COC and 26 years teaching photography at CalArts. He retired from CalArts in 2021 before moving back to his home state.
Walters was diagnosed with liver cancer last year after experiencing back pain. A GoFundMe was organized by one of his former CalArts students, Marie Mingoia, to help offset some of the costs associated with the treatment.
“Darrell and I met in CAP, which is the Community Arts Partnership program [at CalArts] when I was 14, and we’ve become friends over the years and stayed in touch,” Mingoia previously told The Signal. “When he told me this was going on, I knew that since he had just left and was restarting his life, it’s a financial weight and I didn’t want him to do that on his own. It gave me a way to feel like I could help and do something.”
Nearly $40,000 was raised through the GoFundMe, with donations continuing to pour in even after the news of Walter’s death.
“Rest assured, Darrell fought,” Mingoia posted on the GoFundMe on July 8 on behalf of Aimee Wescott. “He chose to live with every hour he spent calling various doctor’s offices, searching for different specialists willing to treat him. He chose to live every time he drove to pick up scans from one office to deliver it to another to expedite the interpretation of results.”
Teaching a combined 46 years at two Santa Clarita Valley educational institutions, Walters told The Signal that it was “all about the students” for him.
Wendy Brill-Wynkoop, chair of the photography department at COC, said in a prepared statement that Walters’ death is a “profound loss not just for our department, but for the entire artistic community he touched.”
“Darrell Walters was an exceptional educator and mentor who left an indelible mark on our photography department at College of the Canyons,” the statement reads. “For two decades, he dedicated himself to nurturing young artists, hosting open lab nights and guiding students with a rare combination of expertise and empathy. Darrell had a unique ability to challenge students to grow while making them feel supported and encouraged. His commitment to face-to-face interactions and deep connections with students was evident in everything he did … We will deeply miss his presence, his insights, and the warmth he brought to our campus.”
Steven Lam, dean of the School of Art at CalArts, said in a prepared statement that Walters was an important figure at the university and his presence and stewardship will be missed.
“Darrell was a gifted educator, dedicated mentor, and significant community leader,” the statement reads. “He has influenced hundreds of CalArts students during the 25-plus years of service in the School of Art. In addition to serving as director and technical faculty of photography and media facilities, Darrell was also a student advocate where he worked closely with the Community Arts Partnership program, and developed and created a federal work study program with CalArts. This work came out of a conviction and passion that access to art education is a needed right for generations of artists to come.”
A celebration of life is planned for Sept. 1 at 3:45 p.m. at First Congregational Church of Los Angeles, located at 540 S. Commonwealth Ave. in downtown L.A.
