Jan Voskes is a gentleman tatter from the Netherlands. His website (https://tatslife.voskes.eu/e/index.htm)indicates that he is today in his 60's. He relates that he learned tatting from his grandfather in the early 1960's. After a hiatus of many years he began tatting again in 2003. Today his website (not updated in some time) offers photos of 12 original doilies, 5 bookmarks and 4 additional items.

Jan has posted patterns for free downloads of 5 of his doilies. This doilies can be reached from https://www.bellaonline.com/subjects/530.asp. He also has a series of photos posted showing him tatting the basic elements. In February of 2010 he was featured with his "Marja" (https://www.georgiaseitz.com/2010/janvoskesMarjadoily.pdf) doily in the Online Tatting Class (www.georgiaseitz.com).

The "Marja" doily is square in shape and unusual for its excellent use of negative space in the design. A round ring and chain center motif was surrounded by an undulating ring and chain repeat which was anchored at the center motif and then brought outward to form four arms. There are large negative spaces in each arm and in the center motif. This openness was offset by the next ring and chain repeat dense with rings at the point of the arms and lighter on the inside of the arms.

This use of negative space was repeated in his doily, "Leiden." With just four rows he created an oval doily with graceful sides and interesting textures in the center. He relied heavily of the use of the tatted trefoil and quatrefoil for his design here.

With the exception of his tatted necklace, "Kennemer", which included large pearls, all of the pieces are very traditional designs. One bookmark has floating rings placed on a long picot with matches nicely with the opposing side when joined. And there is evidence of split rings in his work also. All the patterns would be good experience for any tatter.