Journey to the land that enchanted painter Georgia O'Keeffe, writer D.H. Lawrence, photographer Ansel Adams, and others in my newest Writers' Studio location. Discover how this unique landscape and culture, which have been a magnet for artists and writers for generations, will inspire your own creative and reflective writing. Enjoy visits to the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe and to the artist's house and gardens in Abiquiu. We will explore the Harwood Museum of Art which highlights artists who transformed the town of Taos into a world-renowned art colony. Inspired by the lives and works of early 20th century writers and artists who were drawn to New Mexico, I will craft vivid prompts to guide your close looking, wondering, imagining, and writing.
Mary Hall at Ghost Ranch, Abiquiu, New Mexico
Georgia O'Keeffe, Black Mesa Landscape, New Mexico/Out Back of Marie's II, 1930, Georgia O'Keeffe Museum, Santa Fe.
Come experience a highly curated, small-group opportunity
to deepen your practice as a writer, of any and all levels,
and as a curious, creative traveler.
Program Description:
We will stay at the historic Mabel Dodge Luhan House in Taos for five nights. This fabled house, once the home of an heiress and self-proclaimed "muse," famously welcomed writers Thomas Wolfe, Willa Cather, and Thornton Wilder, photographers Ansel Adams and Alfred Steiglitz, dancer Martha Graham, and many more. Today the Inn hosts retreats for writers and artists in its historic adobe structure, as well as in the Juniper House, a Southwestern style lodge on the property. We will have exclusive use of the Inn's studio for our writing sessions. A yoga studio is also available for participants' use. We will enjoy breakfast and some lunches at the Inn, featuring local ingredients. Our final night will be spent in Santa Fe in an historic downtown hotel.
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We will write in museums, galleries, and storied plazas as you respond to the landscape, architecture, art, and literary history that surround you. Amidst the company of fellow curious writers and creative travelers, you will enjoy a cohort of shared interests and support. An informal sharing of our work, for those who desire to read, will conclude our time together.
"In Mary Hall Surface's Writers' Studio, you learn about and commune with writers, poets, and artists who lived and drew inspiration from these spots. And it's a wonderful opportunity to connect with kindred spirits under the kind care and guidance of Mary Hall who creates a safe space for all her participants to dig a little deeper, step outside their comfort zone, and heed the urge within to write."
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Participant, Berkshires Writer's Studio, May 2025
More Program Details:
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The Writers' Studio in Taos & Santa Fe begins in the late afternoon on Sunday, October 18, 2026 and concludes with breakfast on Saturday, October 24, 2026.
To inspire our writing, we plan to visit:​​
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The Georgia O'Keeffe Museum, an extraordinary collection of the artist's work, including paintings, prints, and drawings
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The home in Abiquiu in which O'Keeffe lived from 1946 - 1984, filled with objects, images, and architecture that inspired her work.
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Ghost Ranch, the site of many of O'Keeffe's paintings and a wonderful area for walking.
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The Harwood Museum of Art, whose diverse collection features the work of the Taos Society of Artists and the Taos Modernists, 20th century artists who found inspiration in the landscape, light, and cultures of northern New Mexico.
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We also hope to include:
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A visit to Taos Pueblo, one of the oldest continuously inhabited communities in the United States, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.​​
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Lunch at the Abiquiu Inn, located along the ancient Rio Chama, featuring garden terraces, adobe architecture, and a sculpture garden.​​
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An excursion to the D.H. Lawrence Ranch.
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An opportunity to explore the historic center of Santa Fe.​​​​
The rhythm of our days will include 1 – 2 daily writing workshops of 2 – 3 hours. Participants will also take writing prompts to our site visits that connect creatively with the sites and sights.
The schedule will provide free time for personal writing as well as time for exploring galleries, bookstores, and shops in Taos and Santa Fe.
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Participants will have the option to gather for informal reflection and sharing of work with Mary Hall and one another throughout the week. Please note that the program is not designed to offer formal critique or one-on-one workshopping of participants’ writing.
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Program subject to change.
Georgia O'Keeffe
Window painted by D.H. Lawrence,
Mabel Dodge Luhan House, 1929.
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2026 Dates:
October 18 - 24, 2026​
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Costs:
$2900 per person, double occupancy, Historic Inn
$2750 per person, double occupancy, Juniper Lodge
$3500 per person, single occupancy, Historic Inn
$3350 per person, single occupancy, Juniper Lodge
Limited availability for single rooms.
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Includes:
6 nights of hotel with breakfast, six days of instruction with class-based excursions, an opening reception, three dinners, and three lunches.
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If flying, participants are encouraged to fly in and out of Santa Fe. Participants are responsible for their transportation to Taos from Santa Fe or Albuquerque airport, which we can assist in arranging. We will provide transportation from Taos to Santa Fe on October 23 for final day & night of the program.​
Limited Accessibility & Altitude:
The Mable Dodge Luhan House and grounds are not accessible for people with limited mobility. More information. And several of our site visits include walking on uneven terrain and using steps. Also note that the altitude is 7000 feet. Please contact me directly if you have questions.
"Mary Hall has a gift for using paintings, locations and landscapes, poems, and biographical stories along with her own knowledge and sensibilities to prompt wonderful writing adventures. I came back refreshed and with a new perspective for my writing.”
Amalfi Writers’ Studio Participant 2023
Georgia O'Keeffe, White Shell with Red, 1938, Art Institute of Chicago.