join us feb. 20-22 2026 for a creative retreat in the high desert of utah

Place to Land is an intentional artist retreat centered on slowing down and making space for creativity. This retreat is an invitation to unplug from the constant pull of productivity and reconnect with yourself, with others, and with the land.

The retreat will be held at the renowned Hells Backbone Grill & Farm in Boulder, Utah. Our time together is shaped by good food, desert landscapes, and open space. There are no expectations to produce finished work. No pressure to perform or share. Instead, you will find gentle creative prompts, shared meals, quiet mornings, and wide-open afternoons where nothing is required of you.

This experience is designed for artists of all disciplines and creatives whose work resists neat categories. What matters most is a willingness to slow down and listen.

Place to Land is not about escaping your life. It’s about learning how to return to it with more creativity and space.

Come with us to our happy place. All are welcome, whether you are wanting to start a creative practice or if you are a burned out artist in need of a quiet space. We chose to hold this retreat in Boulder, Utah because it’s a magical place that always helps us ground back to ourselves and find creative inspiration again.

Itinerary
feb. 20-22 2026

Day 1: Friday

3-4pm Arrive & Unplug
Slow Walk & Notice
6:30pm Dinner at Hell’s Backbone / Gathering
Post Dinner Open Circle / Introductions & Retreat Intentions
Fireside Gathering / Stargazing

Day 2: Saturday

Sunrise sit
Breakfast
Creative Activity 
Lunch
Studio/Unstructured time 
Creative Activity
6:30pm Dinner at Hell’s Backbone
Fireside Gathering / Stargazing

Day 3: Sunday

Sunrise sit
Breakfast
Journaling
Gathering / Integrate
Noon: Return

About Your Hosts

McKenzi Felt Dye is an artist and educator working with ideas about womanhood, sisterhood, loss and reclamation.  She connects personal stories and experiences—specifically those of women as sisters, mothers, or daughters—through her photographs. McKenzi received her MFA in Photography and is Assistant Professor of Photography at Utah Tech University.

Joey Dye is an artist and educator who has spent the last 15 years working in the wedding photography industry, and more than two decades as an entrepreneur. His work focuses on honest moments, emotional nuance, and human connection. Joey teaches the magic of film photography and darkroom printing at Utah Tech University.

Retreat Details

Registration Fee: $1200

Pricing includes:

• Room at Boulder Mountain Lodge, nestled on a 10 acre bird sanctuary and surrounded by Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.

• All meals included by the chef owned Beard-recognized Hell’s Backbone Grill & Farm in the remote high-desert wilderness of Boulder, Utah.

• Creative materials.

• Updated headshot taken by McKenzi and Joey.

Limited to 10 attendees.

1st payment $500 deposit to secure your spot.

2nd payment $700 due Feb.15