Staff photo by Fritz Busch Hager City, Wi. assemblage artist Trudi Schaefer looks at her May Wirth Equestrian Extraordinaire art exhibit prior to her reception at The Grand Center for Art & Culture Friday. Her exhibits will remain at The Grand through 3 p.m., Friday, Nov. 15.

NEW ULM — Artwork featuring miniature circus acts will be shown at The Grand Center for Art & Culture through Friday, Nov. 15.

Trudi Schaefer’s art consists of three-dimensional elements typically using found objects.

“I’m an an assemblage artist. I collect things. Be it beads, bones, clock works or chandelier parts. I collect old wooden cheese boxes and sewing machine drawers,” she said.

Growing up in Chicago, Schaefer was familiar with circuses.

“I started doing art in my 20s, but my husband and I did research, started a family and bought a farm and my art sat on the sidelines for many years. Finally, in my early 70s, I decided if I’m going to do it, I better get started so I did. And I’m having a great time,” Schaefer said.

Now living on a farm near Hager City, Wi., near Red Wing, she began making a circus art exhibit, “The Smallest Show on Earth,” from sardine and tuna fish cans during the COVID pandemic.

“Things got bigger and bigger and I moved on to cigar boxes and larger pieces. The purpose of the 18-piece series was to do something that would light up people’s day, put a smile on their face. People needed that in 2020 and 2021, so that was my purpose,” she said.

Her collections are not for sale.

“I want to move them around, keep showing them at different places to spread the joy. I’ve moved on to other things, but I still have a soft spot in my heart for the circus,” said Schaefer, of Hager City, Wi., near Red Wing.

She’s shown her art in many places, mostly in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

“It’s a little hard to move it around because the pieces are small and delicate. I love getting lost in the treasure hunt and fine-tuning all the parts until they speak asa one,” she said.

Schaefer said circuses can be bizarre and fascinating.

One of her pieces features world famous tightrope walker Maria Spleterini who lived from 1853-1912.

“It was a time when many believed that a woman’s place was in the home. When she was out of the home, she should remain in the background. Clearly, Maria Spelterini did not agree,” Schaefer said.

Spelterini became the only woman to cross the Niagara Gorge on a tightrope in 1876 at age 23 as part of the U.S. Centennial. She did the stunt with a paper bag over her head, then with her ankles and wrists manacled. She also did the trek backwards and even skipped across the entire distance.

Another exhibit features May Wirth, one of the greatest female acrobats on horseback of all time. Wirth used contortions and tumbling as the basis of her bareback riding career that included doing a back somersault from horse to horse in Madison Square Garden in 1912.

Schaefer said he is looking for art exhibition sites like libraries and other public places with ample display cases. She can be emailed at windbeamfarm@gmail.com.