2002, Wim van der Beek, art critic
The renewed interest in figurative art is probably of no concern to precision painter Kees Thijn. He has always painted in his own way and style, and this very personal style of painting suits him. He has an eye for often-queer details. Still, no matter how precisely he dedicates himself to painting recognisable objects, Kees Thijn is certainly not a realist: in his paintings the artist places recognisable images in a surrealistic or magico-realistic context.
A worm-eaten apple is kept upright by a cane or patched-up with the aid of a leather belt and other apparently useless expedients.
2000, Eric Bos, art critic, Dagblad van het Noorden
What grabs my attention in the art of Thijn –autodidact that he is – is his ability to find his own way and to develop a style which is closely related to the Dutch Surrealism of Hynckes, Willem van Leusen and Melle, during the period roughly covering 1940 and 1960.