Rykken entered the Corcoran College of Art & Design after a 20-year newspaper and magazine writing and editing career. Following graduation he became Europe Editor at the now defunct international business news-feature monthly magazine, Global Business. He also is a published short-story fiction writer.

"Happy in Paris," 1996, oil on cardboard

"Second Thoughts? (Leaving)," 2003, gouache on panel, 16" x 20"

"The Return (A Fantasy) II," 1999, oil on panel, 24" x 36"

Rykken's paintings are in several private collections. His paintings have been displayed at annual staff shows at The Phillips Collection art museum in Washington, the former Artists' Museum, Washington, the Museum of Contemporary Art-DC in Georgetown, the former eklektikos gallery, Washington, the Organization of American States Art Museum of the Americas, Washington, the Washington Project for the Arts, the Parents Association Gallery at the University of Maryland, the alumni-faculty Hemicycle gallery at The Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington and the Foundry Gallery, Washington, D.C.

"All He Ever Longed For," 1999, oil on panel, 36" x 24," private collection

"The Crossing," 2003, gouache on panel, 20"x16," private collection