Watch Wednesday, April 1, 2026 at 8 p.m. on KPBS 2
At Washington National Cathedral, stained-glass artist Rowan LeCompte and craftsman Dieter Goldkuhle battle doubt, deadlines, and physics to create the abstract Creation Rose—an eruption of light and color conceived and created before its stone frame existed.
Interviews and archival footage reveal the risky endeavor that modernized a Gothic icon and fulfilled a teenage dream.
Filmmaker Peter Swanson shared a sneak peek from his upcoming film, "The Creation Rose," which explores artist Rowan LeCompte's masterpiece in stained glass at Washington National Cathedral. LeCompte's first window, of St. Dunstan, was completed when he was just 16 years old.
Credit: Filmmaker Peter Swanson
