Willem J.H. Thijs was born in 1932 in Tilburg where he studied at the College of Art from 1953 to 1954. 

From 1955 to 1961 he studied free painting and monumental art at the Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten in Amsterdam. During his graduation year he won the “Tetar van Elvenprijs”. This prize provided a four year grant allowing him to study in Rome for two years. The award winning paintings now form part of the Tetar of Elvenmuseum collection in Delft. After his stay in Rome Thijs travelled throughout Europe, Turkey and Egypt.

Thijs is a most versatile artist who has worked in many mediums such as wall paintings in tempera, carvings, sgraffiti, tapestries, concrete sculptures, glass in concrete and in polyester and glass appliqué frames, mirror objects and modular design systems for spatial design. He has contributed to many exhibitions. With all kinds of materials, like water colour, gouache, acrylic, tempera and oil, sometimes with gold leaf and silver, he constantly explores new ways to use colour.

From 1967 to 1974 Thijs worked as a Professor attached to the Faculty of Monumental Arts at the Rijksakademie in Amsterdam where he worked on the integration of fine arts into the built environment. After this period he returned to his work as a free artist.

His work forms part of private collections as well as corporate and public institutions in the Netherlands and internationally.