Geo Handy
Artist. Designer. Craftswoman. Entrepreneur. Visionary.
Raised with a deep connection to the land, Geo spent her early years on a cattle ranch in the high desert of Northern California. You would often find her leading friends on adventures “Journeys” into the desert, where they would find and collect dead animals and bones. At the age of 11, her family moved to Idaho. She spent summers white water rafting on commercial trips with her father, Dave Handy – an outdoor Idaho legend and an antler shed hunting hobbyist. Her mother, Linda Handy, pursued her art as a talented oil painter.
At age 14 she left public school to homeschool in the Frank Church Wilderness, where her parents accepted a job managing a backcountry resort. At the age of 16, Geo left the wilderness and ventured out into society on her own.
As a young woman, Geo lived all over Idaho, Nevada, Utah, and Oregon. Each place and the people in it, having its own influence on the artist she is today. Her life was forever changed when she became a mother in 2005 to her beautiful daughter Bailey Ray.
Geo’s father began giving her antlers in 2009, sparking the development of her original antler products; jewelry, lighting, and other sculpture. The use of antlers as a medium has been a consistent focus in her creative endeavors ever since. Geo has been mostly self-taught, and over the past ten years, experimented with and developed various skills, tools, and new techniques, arriving at a style uniquely her own.
Geo is the founder and co-producer of an annual event at Trinity Hot Springs called the Hidden GEMini Gathering. Also, she has participated in multiple runway shows in various cities and produced an exquisite calendar featuring implied nudes in natural settings donning Geo’s jewelry. Additionally, she has led creative direction and personal styling for photoshoots and other events, as well as ambiance for backstage green rooms.
Geo will continue creating jewelry and plans on incorporating new mediums such as silver and stained glass. However, she is shifting some of her focus to develop her original concept in antler lighting – that weaves modern design with a rustic feel into elegant room pieces that both inspire and ‘make the space.’ In an effort to create a more positive impact in the community, Geo is now offering classes to teach others how to work with antlers to make art. She believes that self-expression is the most effective therapy. She is excited to share this with others and see where teaching will take her.