My father Thijs Sterk

Hanneke Sterk

The survey of his work mainly stretches the period 1960- 1982.

During this time he was developing as a real painter. Before 1960 the support of his family of 6 children was his main concern.

From his monumental work I especially remember his labor for a large "glass-in-concrete" window, which he made for a school in Noordwijkerhout.

How strenuously he was cutting and could dwell upon the light in the glass. "What a beautiful material."

As far as form was concerned he had to leave his previous school with Joep Nicolas behind, the rigid outline of the leaded windows and the somewhat rigid religious depictions are clearly contradictory to the freedom he would allow himself in later paintings

 

Glass in Concrete Window

He had a broad interest. The love with which he directed the amateur stage, enjoying himself while creating the stage scenes and -dresses made him popular in the village of Catrijp.