One year ago today we hosted the first Maya Spirits Art Retreat, and it marked the beginning of what we want Maya Spirits to be for the long term.
Our goal was to create a life changing week for artists to experience Mayan culture in a way that is real, not performative, and to meet the people and communities who carry it. We wanted the setting to do what it naturally does, which is slow you down, soften you, and remind you that creation can be an act of listening.
We remember the week through very specific images. We remember
@dave_krugman ,
@summergwagner , and
@samanthacavet filming with patience, letting the light and the silence lead instead of forcing a story. We remember
@fahadfalls sitting with Mayan symbolism and turning it into generative expressions. We remember
@benskaarx reaching the top of a pyramid and becoming completely a part of the jungle. We remember
@Defacedstudio finding Mayan drawings carved into sculptures and feeling that instant connection, because his work is also about line, form, and devotion to craft.
What stays with us most is not the itinerary. It is how everyone showed up. The humility. The conversations at night. The feeling that we were part of something bigger than a retreat, something that actually matters. That first edition gave us proof that this model works when it is led with care and when the mission stays at the center.
We are grateful for everyone who trusted us with that first edition, and we are ready for the next one. Our next Maya Spirits Art Retreat will be in April 2026.
Our lineup is set, and we will share more soon