PROJECT FILES
Layered in Time
Written by Micaela Arnett | Photography by Ruta Smith
A local artist transforms a brick wall in a historic 1830s Charleston home with a mixed-media installation.
I
n a historic Charleston residence overlooking the Nathaniel Russell House, artist Emily Pope Harris approached a residential installation as an act of interpretation rather than a surface treatment. The project focused on a brick wall from the early 19th century that had undergone decades of repairs, structural changes, and agerelated deterioration, resulting in a patchwork of original masonry and plaster. The homeowners, a retired couple who relocated from New Orleans, spent years restoring the property and preserving its character. They kept much of the exposed brick throughout the renovation. One section required a more intentional intervention. Structural updates introduced new thin brick at the upper portion of the
116 • CH+D • Spring 2026
wall, disrupting the visual continuity of the original masonry. Instead of concealing the change, the clients requested a layered solution that would acknowledge the wall's history while unifying its appearance. Emily developed a mixed-media plaster finish that evokes the passage of time. She drew from inspiration images and on-site observations to shape a surface that feels authentic to the home’s age while remaining distinctly contemporary. Her process began with an in-person consultation, field measurements, and a conceptual sketch, which she shared with the clients in a presentation outlining the tone, texture, and direction. Emily treated the installation as a siteresponsive process. She built texture with mortar and cement mixtures to
Emily Pope Harris of Emily Pope Harris Fine Art + Installations