It is well known that Thijs Sterk more and more preferred isolation to contact with other colleagues. His increasing deafness may have been the cause of this. At the same time, however, this period in his life is characterized by an intense interest in the work of artists outside his own circle.

He admires Geert van der Velde and the other painters of the famous "Ecole de Paris", Bazaine and Bissière, as well as the Dutch painter Jaap Nanninga, just as before he took Paul Cézanne as his example.

The versatility of his preferences is reflected in his early paintings, which are typified by a diversity of styles.

He was one of those painters who first had to digest all kinds of influences and ideas before he could implement his own style.

The most important influence was definitely the one from the "Bergense School", with which he (born in 1913 at Ouderkerk aan de Amstel) came in contact first through his fellow student Jaap Min at the "Rijksacademie". and which he fully underwent (?onderging) when he resided in Schoorl.

Wintertuin - olieverf 82 x 92

Portraits, Still Lives and landscapes, the most important genres from this school which was at its height between 1910-1935, we also find in the work of Thijs Sterk.