Geo Rutherford

{{Infobox artist

|education={{Plainlist|

|module={{Infobox TikTok personality

| page = @geodesaurus

| page_display_name = Geo

| followers = 1.8 million

| likes = 77.9 million

| stats_update = January 4, 2025

}}

Geo Rutherford (born 1984 or 1985) is an American artist, educator, and TikToker based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.{{Cite web |last=Blakely |first=Natasha |date=2022-04-01 |title=Meet the person making Great Lakes ice popular on TikTok |url=https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2022/04/great-lakes-ice-popular-tiktok/ |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=Great Lakes Now |language=en-US}} She considers herself to be a hobbyist limnologist.{{Cite web |last=Mather |first=Katie |date=2023-10-16 |title=TikToker hosts 31 days of 'haunted hydrology' with super-popular 'spooky lakes' series: 'We all have a fear of the unknown' |url=https://news.yahoo.com/tiktoker-hosts-31-days-of-haunted-hydrology-with-super-popular-spooky-lakes-series-we-all-have-a-fear-of-the-unknown-190502087.html |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=Yahoo News |language=en-US}}

Early life and education

Rutherford was raised in Boulder, Colorado and Dexter, Michigan.{{Cite web |last=Blakely |first=Natasha |date=2022-04-01 |title=Meet the person making Great Lakes ice popular on TikTok |url=https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2022/04/great-lakes-ice-popular-tiktok/ |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=Great Lakes Now |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Duckett |first=Rachel |date=2022-06-03 |title=Spooky lakes and beach trash: How a former Michigan teacher and artist won 1.3 million TikTok followers |url=https://news.jrn.msu.edu/2022/06/spooky-lakes-and-beach-trash-how-a-former-michigan-teacher-and-artist-won-1-3-million-tiktok-followers/ |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=Spartan Newsroom |language=en}} Her mother had a PhD in geology (which was the inspiration for Rutherford's first name) and taught at Eastern Michigan University.{{Cite web |last=Mather |first=Katie |date=2023-10-16 |title=TikToker hosts 31 days of 'haunted hydrology' with super-popular 'spooky lakes' series: 'We all have a fear of the unknown' |url=https://news.yahoo.com/tiktoker-hosts-31-days-of-haunted-hydrology-with-super-popular-spooky-lakes-series-we-all-have-a-fear-of-the-unknown-190502087.html |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=Yahoo News |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Duckett |first=Rachel |date=2022-06-03 |title=Spooky lakes and beach trash: How a former Michigan teacher and artist won 1.3 million TikTok followers |url=https://news.jrn.msu.edu/2022/06/spooky-lakes-and-beach-trash-how-a-former-michigan-teacher-and-artist-won-1-3-million-tiktok-followers/ |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=Spartan Newsroom |language=en}}

Rutherford first took a printmaking class in middle school,{{Cite web |date=October 2, 2023 |title=Wisconsin Life {{!}} Great Lakes TikToker {{!}} Season 10 {{!}} Episode 1 |url=https://www.pbs.org/video/great-lakes-tiktoker-ise0tg/ |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=PBS |language=en}} but didn't become passionate about art until high school.{{Cite web |last=Duckett |first=Rachel |date=2022-06-03 |title=Spooky lakes and beach trash: How a former Michigan teacher and artist won 1.3 million TikTok followers |url=https://news.jrn.msu.edu/2022/06/spooky-lakes-and-beach-trash-how-a-former-michigan-teacher-and-artist-won-1-3-million-tiktok-followers/ |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=Spartan Newsroom |language=en}}

After earning a bachelor's degree in art education at Eastern Michigan University,{{Cite web |last=Kirby |first=Hannah |title='Um yes, hello!' Wisconsin artist and educator has more than 1.1 million TikTok followers for videos on lakes and her art inspired by them |url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/entertainment/2021/12/16/wisconsin-artist-educator-expresses-love-great-lakes-tiktok/8642509002/ |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=Journal Sentinel |language=en-US}} Rutherford worked as a high school art teacher in Chelsea, Michigan for five years.{{Cite web |last=Blakely |first=Natasha |date=2022-04-01 |title=Meet the person making Great Lakes ice popular on TikTok |url=https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2022/04/great-lakes-ice-popular-tiktok/ |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=Great Lakes Now |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Kirby |first=Hannah |title='Um yes, hello!' Wisconsin artist and educator has more than 1.1 million TikTok followers for videos on lakes and her art inspired by them |url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/entertainment/2021/12/16/wisconsin-artist-educator-expresses-love-great-lakes-tiktok/8642509002/ |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=Journal Sentinel |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2021-05-13 |title=Artist & Educator Geo Rutherford Finds Inspiration At Milwaukee's Bradford Beach |url=https://www.wuwm.com/2021-05-13/artist-educator-geo-rutherford-finds-inspiration-at-milwaukees-bradford-beach |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=WUWM 89.7 FM - Milwaukee's NPR |language=en}} Although she enjoyed the job, she returned to graduate school in 2019 in hopes of finding a teaching job that paid better.{{Cite web |date=2021-05-13 |title=Artist & Educator Geo Rutherford Finds Inspiration At Milwaukee's Bradford Beach |url=https://www.wuwm.com/2021-05-13/artist-educator-geo-rutherford-finds-inspiration-at-milwaukees-bradford-beach |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=WUWM 89.7 FM - Milwaukee's NPR |language=en}} She attended the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, where she graduated with a Master of Fine Arts.{{Cite web |last=Blakely |first=Natasha |date=2022-04-01 |title=Meet the person making Great Lakes ice popular on TikTok |url=https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2022/04/great-lakes-ice-popular-tiktok/ |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=Great Lakes Now |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Duckett |first=Rachel |date=2022-06-03 |title=Spooky lakes and beach trash: How a former Michigan teacher and artist won 1.3 million TikTok followers |url=https://news.jrn.msu.edu/2022/06/spooky-lakes-and-beach-trash-how-a-former-michigan-teacher-and-artist-won-1-3-million-tiktok-followers/ |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=Spartan Newsroom |language=en}} Her graduate thesis show, which she exhibited in May 2021, focused on the Great Lakes.{{Cite web |last=Wise |first=Abigail |date=2022-10-24 |title=The Spookiest Lakes in the World |url=https://www.outsideonline.com/adventure-travel/destinations/spooky-lakes-tiktok/ |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=Outside Online |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Kirby |first=Hannah |title='Um yes, hello!' Wisconsin artist and educator has more than 1.1 million TikTok followers for videos on lakes and her art inspired by them |url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/entertainment/2021/12/16/wisconsin-artist-educator-expresses-love-great-lakes-tiktok/8642509002/ |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=Journal Sentinel |language=en-US}}

In 2021, she worked as an adjunct lecturer at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.{{Cite web |last=Kirby |first=Hannah |title='Um yes, hello!' Wisconsin artist and educator has more than 1.1 million TikTok followers for videos on lakes and her art inspired by them |url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/entertainment/2021/12/16/wisconsin-artist-educator-expresses-love-great-lakes-tiktok/8642509002/ |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=Journal Sentinel |language=en-US}}

Art

Rutherford is a printmaker and book artist.{{Cite web |date=October 2, 2023 |title=Wisconsin Life {{!}} Great Lakes TikToker {{!}} Season 10 {{!}} Episode 1 |url=https://www.pbs.org/video/great-lakes-tiktoker-ise0tg/ |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=PBS |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Art Forward: Geo Rutherford – On The Threshold of The Great Lakes |url=https://www.seehafernews.com/2022/04/27/123040/ |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=Seehafer News |language=en}}

Many of Rutherford's pieces are related to the environment and climate change.{{Cite web |date=October 2, 2023 |title=Wisconsin Life {{!}} Great Lakes TikToker {{!}} Season 10 {{!}} Episode 1 |url=https://www.pbs.org/video/great-lakes-tiktoker-ise0tg/ |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=PBS |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Art Forward: Geo Rutherford – On The Threshold of The Great Lakes |url=https://www.seehafernews.com/2022/04/27/123040/ |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=Seehafer News |language=en}} One of her inspirations is beach trash, which she collects for some of her prints and found object works.{{Cite web |last=Duckett |first=Rachel |date=2022-06-03 |title=Spooky lakes and beach trash: How a former Michigan teacher and artist won 1.3 million TikTok followers |url=https://news.jrn.msu.edu/2022/06/spooky-lakes-and-beach-trash-how-a-former-michigan-teacher-and-artist-won-1-3-million-tiktok-followers/ |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=Spartan Newsroom |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=October 2, 2023 |title=Wisconsin Life {{!}} Great Lakes TikToker {{!}} Season 10 {{!}} Episode 1 |url=https://www.pbs.org/video/great-lakes-tiktoker-ise0tg/ |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=PBS |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Kirby |first=Hannah |title='Um yes, hello!' Wisconsin artist and educator has more than 1.1 million TikTok followers for videos on lakes and her art inspired by them |url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/entertainment/2021/12/16/wisconsin-artist-educator-expresses-love-great-lakes-tiktok/8642509002/ |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=Journal Sentinel |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Art Forward: Geo Rutherford – On The Threshold of The Great Lakes |url=https://www.seehafernews.com/2022/04/27/123040/ |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=Seehafer News |language=en}} She particularly likes using glass tubes, which she fills with found objects.{{Cite web |date=2021-05-13 |title=Artist & Educator Geo Rutherford Finds Inspiration At Milwaukee's Bradford Beach |url=https://www.wuwm.com/2021-05-13/artist-educator-geo-rutherford-finds-inspiration-at-milwaukees-bradford-beach |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=WUWM 89.7 FM - Milwaukee's NPR |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Kirby |first=Hannah |title='Um yes, hello!' Wisconsin artist and educator has more than 1.1 million TikTok followers for videos on lakes and her art inspired by them |url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/entertainment/2021/12/16/wisconsin-artist-educator-expresses-love-great-lakes-tiktok/8642509002/ |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=Journal Sentinel |language=en-US}}

In 2021 she had a solo exhibition, entitledGeo Rutherford: On the Threshold of the Great Lakes at Rahr West Art Museum in Manitowoc, Wisconsin.{{Cite web |title=Art Forward: Geo Rutherford – On The Threshold of The Great Lakes |url=https://www.seehafernews.com/2022/04/27/123040/ |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=Seehafer News |language=en}} The following year, she was included in the exhibition Approaching Water at Constellation Studios in Lincoln, Nebraska.{{Cite web |date=2023-03-06 |title=New exhibition, 'Approaching Water,' opens March 8 |url=https://news.unl.edu/newsrooms/today/article/new-exhibition-approaching-water-opens-march-8/ |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=University of Nebraska Lincoln |language=en}}

Online presence

Rutherford began posting on TikTok after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web |last=Mather |first=Katie |date=2023-10-16 |title=TikToker hosts 31 days of 'haunted hydrology' with super-popular 'spooky lakes' series: 'We all have a fear of the unknown' |url=https://news.yahoo.com/tiktoker-hosts-31-days-of-haunted-hydrology-with-super-popular-spooky-lakes-series-we-all-have-a-fear-of-the-unknown-190502087.html |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=Yahoo News |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Duckett |first=Rachel |date=2022-06-03 |title=Spooky lakes and beach trash: How a former Michigan teacher and artist won 1.3 million TikTok followers |url=https://news.jrn.msu.edu/2022/06/spooky-lakes-and-beach-trash-how-a-former-michigan-teacher-and-artist-won-1-3-million-tiktok-followers/ |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=Spartan Newsroom |language=en}} She began posting about her art and about the Great Lakes, which would become a frequent subject.{{Cite web |last=Blakely |first=Natasha |date=2022-04-01 |title=Meet the person making Great Lakes ice popular on TikTok |url=https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2022/04/great-lakes-ice-popular-tiktok/ |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=Great Lakes Now |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Mather |first=Katie |date=2023-10-16 |title=TikToker hosts 31 days of 'haunted hydrology' with super-popular 'spooky lakes' series: 'We all have a fear of the unknown' |url=https://news.yahoo.com/tiktoker-hosts-31-days-of-haunted-hydrology-with-super-popular-spooky-lakes-series-we-all-have-a-fear-of-the-unknown-190502087.html |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=Yahoo News |language=en-US}} Her first video on the Great Lakes, and second video ever, was posted in August 2020 and received 4 million views.{{Cite web |last=Blakely |first=Natasha |date=2022-04-01 |title=Meet the person making Great Lakes ice popular on TikTok |url=https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2022/04/great-lakes-ice-popular-tiktok/ |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=Great Lakes Now |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Wise |first=Abigail |date=2022-10-24 |title=The Spookiest Lakes in the World |url=https://www.outsideonline.com/adventure-travel/destinations/spooky-lakes-tiktok/ |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=Outside Online |language=en-US}} More largely, Rutherford's TikToks tend to focus on hydrology.{{Cite web |last=Blakely |first=Natasha |date=2022-04-01 |title=Meet the person making Great Lakes ice popular on TikTok |url=https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2022/04/great-lakes-ice-popular-tiktok/ |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=Great Lakes Now |language=en-US}}

As of October 2023, Rutherford had 1.6 million followers on TikTok.{{Cite web |last=Mather |first=Katie |date=2023-10-16 |title=TikToker hosts 31 days of 'haunted hydrology' with super-popular 'spooky lakes' series: 'We all have a fear of the unknown' |url=https://news.yahoo.com/tiktoker-hosts-31-days-of-haunted-hydrology-with-super-popular-spooky-lakes-series-we-all-have-a-fear-of-the-unknown-190502087.html |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=Yahoo News |language=en-US}}

Rutherford has an annual series, Spooky Lake Month, which takes place in October.{{Cite web |last=Duckett |first=Rachel |date=2022-06-03 |title=Spooky lakes and beach trash: How a former Michigan teacher and artist won 1.3 million TikTok followers |url=https://news.jrn.msu.edu/2022/06/spooky-lakes-and-beach-trash-how-a-former-michigan-teacher-and-artist-won-1-3-million-tiktok-followers/ |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=Spartan Newsroom |language=en}} During the month, Rutherford posts a new video on a "haunted hydrology" story each day.{{Cite web |last=Wise |first=Abigail |date=2022-10-24 |title=The Spookiest Lakes in the World |url=https://www.outsideonline.com/adventure-travel/destinations/spooky-lakes-tiktok/ |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=Outside Online |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Mather |first=Katie |date=2023-10-16 |title=TikToker hosts 31 days of 'haunted hydrology' with super-popular 'spooky lakes' series: 'We all have a fear of the unknown' |url=https://news.yahoo.com/tiktoker-hosts-31-days-of-haunted-hydrology-with-super-popular-spooky-lakes-series-we-all-have-a-fear-of-the-unknown-190502087.html |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=Yahoo News |language=en-US}} Rutherford has said she tries to avoid topics like true crime, conspiracies, or the supernatural in her content, and to instead focus on centering the environment and the power of nature.{{Cite web |last=Mather |first=Katie |date=2023-10-16 |title=TikToker hosts 31 days of 'haunted hydrology' with super-popular 'spooky lakes' series: 'We all have a fear of the unknown' |url=https://news.yahoo.com/tiktoker-hosts-31-days-of-haunted-hydrology-with-super-popular-spooky-lakes-series-we-all-have-a-fear-of-the-unknown-190502087.html |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=Yahoo News |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Kirby |first=Hannah |title='Um yes, hello!' Wisconsin artist and educator has more than 1.1 million TikTok followers for videos on lakes and her art inspired by them |url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/entertainment/2021/12/16/wisconsin-artist-educator-expresses-love-great-lakes-tiktok/8642509002/ |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=Journal Sentinel |language=en-US}}

Book

Following the success of Spooky Lake Month 2021, several literary agents reached out to Rutherford, with interest in her publishing a book on hydrology.{{Cite web |last=Krause |first=Delaney |date=2024-10-23 |title=From Chelsea High School Art Teacher to Viral Tik Tok Sensation: Spooky Lake Month with Geo Rutherford |url=https://thesuntimesnews.com/from-chelsea-high-school-art-teacher-to-viral-tik-tok-sensation-spooky-lake-month-with-geo-rutherford/ |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=The Sun Times News |language=en-US}} In 2022, Rutherford signed a book deal for Spooky Lakes, a middle-school non-fiction book which she wrote and illustrated herself.{{Cite web |last=Mather |first=Katie |date=2023-10-16 |title=TikToker hosts 31 days of 'haunted hydrology' with super-popular 'spooky lakes' series: 'We all have a fear of the unknown' |url=https://news.yahoo.com/tiktoker-hosts-31-days-of-haunted-hydrology-with-super-popular-spooky-lakes-series-we-all-have-a-fear-of-the-unknown-190502087.html |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=Yahoo News |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Duckett |first=Rachel |date=2022-06-03 |title=Spooky lakes and beach trash: How a former Michigan teacher and artist won 1.3 million TikTok followers |url=https://news.jrn.msu.edu/2022/06/spooky-lakes-and-beach-trash-how-a-former-michigan-teacher-and-artist-won-1-3-million-tiktok-followers/ |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=Spartan Newsroom |language=en}} The book released in September 2024 through Abrams.