Kate ensures the smooth daily operations of the gallery, working closely with the Gallery Director to manage exhibitions and administrative tasks. Her keen eye for design drives the gallery’s visual identity and marketing efforts, crafting compelling content to engage visitors. As a recent MFA graduate and practicing artist, Kate also connects the gallery to emerging talent and curates exhibitions. She is the primary point of contact for communications, operational inquiries, and promotional campaigns.

Kate Crankshaw was born in the Pinelands of New Jersey and grew up with a love of art. Attending a high school with career majors, she studied graphic design and graduated with the intention to continue to study design in college. She moved to Philadelphia to attend the University of the Arts, where she quickly fell in love with Craft and found the material she truly loves - glass. Kate graduated with a BFA in Craft + Material Studies, with a focus in glass, from the University of the Arts in 2019. Furthering her education, Kate pursued an MFA in Craft/Material Studies with a continued focus on glass at Virginia Commonwealth University, graduating in 2023.

She maintains her own artistic practice in her home studio in South Philadelphia, utilizing the process of flameworking, though she also has a background in glassblowing, casting, and stained glass. Through her work, she explores themes of memory, longing, and relationships, processing her childhood spent navigating the foster care system. In addition to her art practice, she designs and makes jewelry and home decor, as well as fabricating work in glass for both designers and artists. In her free time, you can find Kate hanging out with her two small dogs and pet pigeon or riding her bike around the city.

Drawing from years of hands-on experience in glass studios and administrative expertise from managing studios, Kate brings a wealth of artistic knowledge to Gravers Lane Gallery. Her unique perspective and dedication to craft make her a valuable addition to the vibrant creative community at the gallery.