Laura Schell has worked as a paper conservator in private practice since 1999, and has Professional Associate status with the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (AIC). She has treated a wide variety of paper-based objects ranging from western and Asian fine art, Old Master prints, large and small ephemera, historic objects such as wall maps, charts, blueprints, and significant documents. Her client list includes museums, non-profits, historical societies, upscale framers and private owners.

Ms. Schell initiated an enduring relationship with paper as a printmaking major at SUNY Cortland. This experience sparked an appreciation for lithography, intaglio and silkscreen printmaking techniques and handling fine paper. After graduation, she lived in Syracuse, NY and served a three-year apprenticeship at West Lake Conservators, a long-established paintings conservation laboratory. Work there supplied a solid foundation in the theory and practice of professional conservation in a private practice. During this time, she also conducted a survey of the Onondaga Historical Association’s paintings to update existing storage conditions, and volunteered with the Registrar’s staff at the Everson Museum of Art.

Ms. Schell was enrolled in Syracuse University from 1992-94, and received an MA in Museum Studies. She spent a summer interning at Juneau, Alaska’s City Museum and returned to the east coast to enter Buffalo State College’s Art Conservation program in fall 1994. She returned to Alaska the following summer to conduct a collections survey of the Juneau City Museum’s paper collection, and spent the summer of 1996 in Harrisburg, PA working to delaminate degraded William Penn iron gall ink documents at the Commonwealth Conservation Center (a regional conservation center). She spent a year-long internship at the British Columbia Provincial Archives, Canada, where she treated an extensive number of paper-based objects including one-of-a-kind maps and Emily Carr watercolors. Schell received an MA and Certificate of Advanced Study in Art Conservation from Buffalo State College in 1997.

Following graduation from Buffalo State College, Ms. Schell worked at the Strong Museum, Rochester, NY from Fall 1997-Spring 1998. She performed a survey of the museum’s extensive paper ephemera collection to ascertain current condition, location and prioritize needs. In 1998 she established a paper conservation laboratory as an Associate Conservator at West Lake Conservators.
 

In 2002, Ms. Schell was responsible for the emergency stabilization and subsequent conservation of a rare 1878 William Cody (Buffalo Bill) billboard. This federally funded project took approximately six years to complete. She is a member of AIC (American Institute for Conservation of Historic & Artistic Works), and presented on the Buffalo Bill Billboard at the AIC Book/Paper specialty group presentations, Denver CO, 2008.