David R. Crane

"Sculpture is the servant of architecture and vice versa. So too is stained glass. Both sculpture and stained glass are affected by the environment (architecture) in which they are placed and the environment is affected by them in return. All three disciplines are interrelated and my work tends to reflect this."
-David R. Crane

David R. Crane is a master of working with stained glass. He currently owns and operates Plumstead Studios on Haring Road in Plumsteadville, Pennsylvania. While he sometimes designs new windows for churches and homeowners, most of his work is in restoration and conservation. As America's stained glass windows have gotten older, Crane's expertise has become more in-demand. Working with glass, Crane sees himself as continuing a grand tradition begun by the Egyptians and the Romans. Although he does not attend any church as a congregant, he describes himself as deeply "spiritual" and finds a certain meditative quality from spending time alone in a church with its windows.

Crane was educated as a sculptor at Cooper Union and Rutgers University, but his knowledge of stained glass was self-taught. Since founding Plumstead Studios in 1986, he has done commissions for Princeton University, Doylestown Presbyterian Church, St. Martin's Church of New Hope, and the Hill School in Pottstown, among others. He served for several years as co-chairman of the Bucks County Sculpture Show, founded by the late Dr. Selma Burke.

Education and Training
Cooper Union, B.F.A., New York, New York, 1964-1968
Provincetown Workshop, Provincetown, Massachusetts, 1967-1968
Rutgers University, MFA, New Brunswick, New Jersey, 1968-1970

Teachers and Influences
Crane was taught by Victor Candell, John Hovannes, and Leo Manso at Cooper Union. His influences are Constantin Brancusi, Auguste Rodin, David Smith, Robert Sowers, Louis C. Tiffany, Henry Willet.

Connection to Bucks County
David Crane has lived in Bucks County since 1947.

Artistic Community and Colleagues
George Anthonisen, Virginia Abbott, Milan Kralik Jr., William Osler, Steve Sears, Val Sigstedt

Affiliations, Memberships, Schools
Co-chairman, Bucks County Sculpture Show, Program of the Central Bucks Chamber of Commerce
Associate Member, American Institute for Conversation of Historic and Artistic Works

Major Group Exhibitions
Bucks County Sculpture Show, various locations, 1987-1996
Phillips' Mill Community Association Annual Fall Exhibition, New Hope, Pennsylvania, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1995, 1997
Tulip, Michener Art Museum, Doylestown, Pennsylvania, 1989

Major Awards
Anonymous Award for Sculpture, Phillips' Mill Community Association Annual Fall Exhibition, 1988

Teaching and Professional Appointments
Assistant for construction and operation of the bronze foundry, Cooper Union, 1968
Gallery assistant, Bertha Schaffer Gallery of Primitive Art, Provincetown, Massachusetts, 1968
Design assistant, Charles Ewarld, Bryn Athen, Pennsylvania, 1970
Designer and studio director, Morgan Bockius Studios, 1971
Owner, Plumstead Studios, 1986-present

Commissions
St. Mark's Episcopal Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1987
Faith Lutheran Church, Montgomeryville, Pennsylvania, 1988
Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, 1988
Lutheran Church of the Resurrection, Yardley, Pennsylvania, 1988
Hill School, Pottstown, Pennsylvania, 1989
Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1989
Easton YWCA, Easton, Pennsylvania, 1989
Adath Israel Synagogue, Merion, Pennsylvania, 1990
West Chester Inn, West Chester, Pennsylvania, 1990
Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, 1991
St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Chester, Pennsylvania, 1991
Ruth Harrison, Margate, New Jersey, 1992
Six Mile Run Reformed Chruch, Franklin Park, New Jersey, 1992
New Hope Baptist Chruch, Norristown, Pennsylvania, 1993
Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1993
Rosemont Lutheran Church, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, 1994
Unitarian Church of Washington's Crossing, Titusville, Pennsylvania, 1994
Scottsville UMC, Langhonre, Pennsylvania, 1995
Wesley UMC, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, 1995
West Laurel Hill Cemetary, Bala Cywyd, Pennsylvania, 1995
St. Timothy's Episcopal Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1995
Calvary Presbyterian Church, Wyncote, Pennsylvania, 1996
Jamesburg Presbyterian Church, Jamesburg, New Jersey, 1996
St Matthew's Episcopal Church, Maple Glen, Pennsylvania, 1997
Cathedral Church of the Holy Nativity, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, 1997
Moravian College, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, 1998
Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, 1998
Barclay Friends Assisted Living Home, West Chester, Pennsylvania, 1999
Clinton Presbyterian Church, Clinton, New Jersey, 2001
Portland United Methodist Church, Portland, Pennsylvania, 2002
Christ United Church of Christ, Kupsville, Pennsylvania, 2002
Christ Lutheran Church, Trumbauersville, Pennsylvania, 2003
Memorial Church of the Holy Nativity, Rockledge, Pennsylvania, 2004-2005
City of Trenton City Hall, New Jersey, 2005