Acrylic

Working on canvas or claybord Van Kampen begins by applying a texture medium onto the surface. Various mediums and tools are used to achieve this initial layer. Several layers of acrylic are added, sometimes wet on wet, but more often allowed to dry in between layers. Gesso and glazes are also added to areas of the painting."I try to create a history within each painting. I prefer a more rustic, distressed finish on my work. It offers me satisfaction on any style including landscapes and abstracts," Van Kampen states.

Encaustic

Van Kampen begins by applying a base coat appropriate for the surface. Her preference is claybord. Claybord is a hard board with a thin coat of kaolin clay. Melted wax is mixed with pigments and applied in several thin layers with a brush or other tool. Each layer is fused with a heat source before the next layer is added. Mary prefers about 6-8 layers in her encaustic paintings. She will often incorporate oil pastels, paper, string and other small objects into some of the layers. Due to the heat this technique requires, Van Kampen limits encaustic painting to her Taos, New Mexico studio.