Hommage to Thijs Sterk 1

Hommage to Thijs Sterk.

Peter Bes

I entered the studio of Thijs Sterk for the first time in the winter of 1964-65.

In Amsterdam I attended the "Normaalschool" and was living with my parents in Schoorl.

A local florist exhibited some of my drawings.

Thijs Sterk saw them. "Come over and see me" he said, offering me to print a lithograph on his newly acquired press. During the white Xmas of 1964 I made my first print.

It appeared that Thijs Sterk knew everything about graphical techniques.

By lack of printing felt, a brand new cloth was used which we quickly bought at the grocer's.

When I carefully lifted the cloth and the paper, the miracle had happened: I felt like a magician.

Camperduin 1962 Litho 8 x 13

Countless times I walked past the farm house on the Hereweg to the studio in the back of the garden. After a knock on the door, which only had a handle on the inside, I would hear clattering. The smell of oil paint, of ink and Caballero cigarettes hit me as Thijs opened the door.