Noah Smutz
5(ish) Questions for is a chance to discover and learn about St. Louis Creatives, Community Champions, and, well, just interesting people in and around our city. It's a deep dive into what they love and where their passion lies. It's an opportunity for all of us to see our region from a different perspective. This written interview is a peek into their lives and their outlook on St. Louis.
Meet Noah, an archaeologist turned conservationist who finds deep fulfillment in preserving historic texts for both individuals and institutions. Driven by a love for history and craftsmanship, he aims to expand his business and mentor future conservators while continuing to serve his community through ethical, thoughtful restoration work.
Photos provided by Noah Smutz.
Tell us about yourself. What gets you out of bed every morning?
Usually my 2 year old! Though joking aside I greatly enjoy the variety and breadth of items I have the privilege to work on for local individuals and institutions. Depending on the day these range from family Bibles, to scholarly religious texts, to Worlds Fair books and everything in between. Nothing makes me happier than returning an item to someone that they can now use and handle. It’s especially nice when they tell me they haven’t looked at the thing or handled it in years because they were afraid of damaging it more.
How did you get started?
I did my undergraduate degree at the University of Kansas. I planned to become an archaeologist and that culminated the summer after my sophomore year when I got to spend 6 weeks on a dig in Crete, Greece. The name of the site was Mochlos and I had a wonderful time there, but realized I did not want to be an archaeologist. Digging in the dirt in 120 degree heat provides a great deal of clarity. While working on the dig I discovered conservation, first through archaeological conservation. As I explored the field more I found book conservation and thought that sounded really interesting. I wanted to avoid making the same mistake with archaeology and get some conservation experience under my belt to see if it was really what I wanted to do. When I got back to KU I got a job in their book conservation lab working on general collections items. So anything that could go in a backpack, book drop, or have beer spilled on it I was repairing. Within weeks I was hooked and began looking for graduate school options.
I ended up at West Dean College in the UK for a two year Masters degree in Book Conservation. When I came back to the US I eventually found my way to the Smithsonian Libraries where I was their adopt-a-book conservator for 2.5 years. I met my wife Sophie in D.C. and followed her to St. Louis and I’ve been in business here for the last 6 years.
What impact are you making or hope to make?
When I came to St. Louis in 2019 I knew the previous book conservator had retired in 2011 and that no one had replaced him. I found a market waiting for someone to fill it. There was pent up demand for book conservation both with the local institutions and individuals. I have returned countless family bibles to working order and have helped our local institutions preserve their treasures. I find it fulfilling to give back to the community in this way.
Who has been your greatest mentor, and what was the most valuable lesson they taught you?
Abigail Bainbridge was a tutor of mine during graduate school. I learned an incredible amount from her. The most valuable lesson I learned from her is how to critically evaluate my own work. She made the point that once we leave graduate school and work on our own there is not a tutor to tell you that you have done a good job and that the work is of sufficient quality. I had to learn what sufficient quality was and looked like in any given situation. Learning that lesson has enabled the wonderful career that I have.
Is there an ethical dimension to your work? How do you navigate it?
There is an ethical dimension to my work. I have been a member of the American Institute for Conservation since 2011 and follow their Code of Ethics. I deal with items that in some cases have existed for hundreds of years before I entered the world and ideally will exist for hundreds of years more. I have to make my decisions about how to treat these items with that in mind. Sure, there might be something I could do to improve the aesthetics of an item for the next 20 years, but what if it is detrimental to the survival of the item for the next 100 years? I do my best to preserve as much original material as possible and to ensure that if a better way to treat the item or a better material for repair comes along that my repairs can be undone to allow for something better.
What are some of your goals for the next year, or the next 5 years?
For the past six years I have operated out of my basement in south St. Louis County. I am working in about 700 square feet and I have outgrown that space. In the next year my goal is to move into a commercial space to allow my business to continue to grow. Over the next 5 years that means bringing in interns so that I can help educate the next generation of conservators. As long as the business keeps growing in 3-5 years I’ll be looking to bring on more staff.
How do you push through creative blocks or periods of low motivation?
I get through these times in a couple of ways. Sometimes I steer into them for an hour or maybe a day, sometimes you just need a break. The other way I deal with them is to make a list of everything ahead of me that day or week and then I tackle something small on the list. Once that item is finished I take on the next small item. I find this helps build momentum for getting things done and helps to pull me out of those periods of low motivation.
What are some of the most important things that our audience can do to support you?
Currently the most important thing is to support our local libraries and museums, especially as the federal government looks to cut funding to IMLS (the Institute of Museum and Library Services). This organization accounts for only 0.0046% of the annual federal budget but supports libraries and museums everywhere in the country. These organizations may or may not ever be clients of mine but their existence is important to all of us. They are also typically the places people go to find out who can repair their family Bible and that request (locally) usually leads them to me.
Photos provided by Noah Smutz.
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