Rhyn, the true artist, was intrigued by the physical world around him, no matter what it was. The idea of optical challenges was his main driving force to paint. In fact, he would be mesmerized by the way he saw light fall on objects and, tried to best imitate it. Using his exceptional technical prowess, which he managed to unleash, Rhyn was able to create glorious things of the real world. This large painting of the Rideau canal, in Ottawa, is a prime example.