Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Cody Clark. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Cody, thanks for joining us today. Alright, let’s take a stroll on memory lane, back to when you were an apprentice or intern. What’s a memorable story from that time that you can share with us?

I never had a traditional internship the way some people do. For me, it all started with working alongside my dad. He founded Olde World Walls & Ceilings in 2004, and by the time I was a teenager, I was spending my summers and weekends on job sites, learning by doing. That was my first real apprenticeship. My dad taught me the value of precision, discipline, and showing up prepared, even when the work is tough and the weather’s hotter than it should be. But he also taught me that no matter how much you know, there’s always more to learn.

Over the years, I’ve been lucky enough to work under and alongside other master artisans, generational plasterers, masons, and traditional tradespeople from different parts of the U.S. and abroad. Each one brought a different lens, a different rhythm to the work, and I soaked up as much as I could. Those experiences shaped the way I approach restoration, with a lot of respect for regional techniques and old-world knowledge that you can’t just learn from a book.

Even now, I still consider myself a student of the craft. I regularly take courses and attend workshops taught by other masters, whether it’s a specialty lime technique from Europe or a specific historic finish native to the U.S. Southeast. Those continuing education experiences don’t just help me grow, they give me more to pass down to my crew and the next generation of tradespeople we’re working to train. I’ve always believed that if you’re not learning, you’re falling behind and that mindset has been a driving force throughout my career.

Cody, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Cody Clark, and I’m the lead artisan and Vice President of Olde World Walls & Ceilings Inc., a family-founded business specializing in historic plaster restoration, lime-based finishes, and masonry conservation. My father started the company in 2004, and I’ve been immersed in this work since I was a teenager, learning the craft on job sites and honing my skills under generational tradespeople from across the U.S. and Europe. Over time, I’ve built on that foundation to develop a deep understanding of traditional materials, and a commitment to preserving the authenticity of historic buildings.

Olde World Walls & Ceilings offers a full range of restoration services related to interior and exterior masonry, particularly with historic buildings and we are proud to serve homeowners, general contractors, architects, municipalities, and nonprofit organizations involved in grant-funded and preservation-based projects across the Southeast.

This year, we are expanding our mission beyond hands-on restoration to include educational content and training. Through Olde World, we now offer e-books, modular online courses, in-person workshops, and content licensing options for universities, trade schools, and preservation programs. While we stay busy with large-scale contract work, we’re equally focused on helping educate the next generation of tradespeople and designers — ensuring these traditional materials and techniques aren’t lost to time.

In addition to my role at Olde World Walls & Ceilings, I also serve as the Lead Consultant for The Plaster & Masonry Advisory Co., LLC, a new firm that offers expert guidance to architects, municipalities, and contractors working with historic structures. Through this company, I assist with material recommendations, field diagnostics, repair scopes, and preservation strategies — especially when accuracy and sensitivity to original construction are critical. Both companies reflect a shared mission: to preserve the built heritage of our communities while equipping others to do the same.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Like a lot of contractors, we’ve had to pivot more than once over the past few years, especially with how unpredictable the construction industry has become. Working primarily in historic restoration, we’re in a pretty specialized lane, and that means projects are often tied to grant cycles, architectural planning delays, or municipal funding timelines. So one major pivot for us has been building a crew that’s not only trained in traditional plaster and masonry, but also capable of handling more conventional systems like stucco and EIFS. That’s helped us fill in the downtime between historic contracts and keep our team consistently working without compromising our core focus.

We’ve also had to adapt to fluctuating material costs and shifting supply chains. Prices have changed rapidly across the board, and certain building materials, like coquina stone, which we sometimes work with on historic properties, are now more heavily regulated or limited in availability. These challenges have pushed the entire industry to rethink sourcing, timelines, and how we approach project planning.

These shifts haven’t changed our mission, but they’ve absolutely changed how we operate. In a way, it’s made us stronger — more proactive, more resilient, and better equipped to balance the craft side of the business with the day-to-day realities of construction today.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

In 2022, Hurricane Ian hit Florida hard and we were right in the middle of it. Our home took on serious flood damage, and we ended up losing it entirely. What made it even tougher was that our property wasn’t just our home, it was also where we stored most of our construction materials and equipment. So in one storm, we lost both our living space and a big portion of the tools and resources we rely on to run our business.

At the time, I was right in the middle of a huge, time-sensitive job. It wasn’t a historic restoration project, but it was a major build with a tight schedule and no room for delays. Every morning, I’d be out on the jobsite managing crews and making sure the work stayed on track. Then by the afternoon, I was back at home, fighting floodwaters, sandbagging, pumping water, and trying to keep things from getting worse.

It was one of the hardest stretches of my life, but we didn’t miss a beat. That job got done right and on time, even while my own house was underwater. And that’s something I take pride in, no matter what I’ve got going on personally, I stay committed to the work. I show up, I get the job done, and I give every project everything I’ve got. That storm taught me a lot about resilience, but mostly it reminded me of what it means to keep your word even when life throws everything it’s got at you.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://oldeworldwallsinc.com/
• Instagram: @owwc_plastering
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oldeworldwalls/
• Other: https://www.plastermasonryadvisory.com

Image Credits

Robert Eberle and Ann Buster