Picture an American poet and spiritual guide who weaves monastic wisdom with creative expression—meet Christine Valters Paintner! As the online Abbess of Abbey of the Arts, she’s a Benedictine oblate living in Galway, Ireland, inviting people worldwide to explore spirituality through art, contemplation, and nature. Her journey from New York City to the sacred shores of Ireland is as inspiring as her books, which blend poetry, mindfulness, and soulful creativity.
With over twenty books and a virtual monastery that feels like a global hug, Christine’s work resonates with anyone craving stillness in a chaotic world. Ready to dive into her contemplative universe? Let’s explore her story!
The Making of Christine Valters Paintner
Born in New York City, Christine Valters Paintner grew up enchanted by the medieval charm of The Cloisters, a museum that sparked her love for monastic aesthetics. Her academic path led her to a BA in Philosophy from Fordham University, an MA in Systematic Theology from the Jesuit School of Theology, and a PhD in Christian Spirituality from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley. But it was her encounter with 12th-century Benedictine Abbess Hildegard of Bingen that set her heart ablaze. Hildegard’s fusion of music, poetry, and spirituality inspired Christine to embrace the Benedictine path, becoming an oblate—a monk living intentionally in the everyday world.
Moving from the U.S. to Vienna, Austria, and finally settling in Galway, Ireland, with her husband John, Christine found a home where Celtic monasticism and the wild beauty of the landscape fueled her calling. Here, she and John co-lead Abbey of the Arts, a virtual monastery offering retreats and resources for contemplative living.
Christine Valters Paintner’s Soul-Stirring Works
Christine Valters Paintner’s books are like lanterns in the dark, guiding readers toward stillness and creativity. Her nonfiction, like The Artist’s Rule: Nurturing Your Creative Soul with Monastic Wisdom, blends Benedictine spirituality with practical exercises, encouraging readers to find sacredness in daily life. The Wisdom of the Body invites women to reconnect with their physical selves through writing, art, and movement, drawing on Celtic and desert traditions to celebrate the Incarnation.
Her poetry collections, such as Dreaming of Stones and The Wisdom of Wild Grace, shimmer with nature’s rhythms and mystical insights. These poems, inspired by her life in Ireland, chant of hope, seasons, and the divine in the ordinary. Eyes of the Heart, another gem, explores photography as a contemplative practice, teaching readers to see the world with sacred vision. Her style—rooted in lectio divina, yoga, and monastic rhythms—is accessible yet profound, inviting readers to slow down and savor life’s holiness.
Through Abbey of the Arts, Christine offers online retreats, pilgrimages, and prayer services, creating a global community of “monks in the world.” Her work is a tapestry of Christian mysticism, expressive arts, and interfaith dialogue, enriched by her training as a Registered Expressive Arts Consultant and Educator.
Why Christine Valters Paintner Matters
Christine Valters Paintner’s impact lies in her ability to make ancient monastic wisdom feel fresh and relevant. In a world obsessed with speed and productivity, she champions slowness, presence, and radical hospitality—welcoming both the inner and outer stranger. Her teachings inspire soul care practitioners, artists, and spiritual seekers to heal through creativity and contemplation. By rooting her work in Benedictine, Celtic, and desert traditions, she bridges past and present, offering a path to wholeness.
Her global influence, through Abbey of the Arts, fosters a queer-embracing, anti-racist community that celebrates diversity. Christine’s belief that “beauty will save the world,” as Dostoevsky said, resonates in her poetry and retreats, which have touched countless lives, transforming busyness into sacred pause.
- Birthplace: New York City, USA
- Key Works: The Artist’s Rule, The Wisdom of the Body, Dreaming of Stones
- Awards: Shortlisted for Over the Edge New Writer of the Year (2013, 2014, 2017)
Ready to slow down and spark your soul? Grab The Artist’s Rule and step into Christine Valters Paintner’s world of contemplative creativity!