Exhibits & Artist Talks
Avila Home Care is thrilled to exhibit the work of talented visual artists and host artist talks</br >for residents and their guests at local senior living communities.
Avila’s partners at Brightwood Club, Springwell Senior Living, Blakehurst Senior Living, and Brightview Senior Living Severna Park, are graciously hosting the first exhibits of Avila Art Makers. As part of these exhibits, residents learn more about the artists’ inspirations, who they’ve studied with, their methods, and the stories behind their treasured works of art.
As the Avila Art Makers exhibits and artist talks bloom, we look forward to bringing stunning visual art to the twenty-seven Senior Living Communities where Avila serves clients, and beyond! We would be honored to showcase artwork at your independent or assisted living community, as well as for your memory care, skilled nursing, hospice residents, and hospital patients. If you would like for Avila Art Makers to exhibit and speak at your community, please contact Gretchen Maneval, Director of External Affairs at gretchen@avilahomecare.com, or call 410-826-6100.
Click Here to See Wonderful Photos of Avila Art Makers’ Exhibits and Artist Talks
Meet the Avila Art Makers Artists!
Steve Bleinberger, Water Color Paintings
Steve Bleinberger paints “with sweeping strokes that role and undulate…a hopeful luminous sky moves easily from color to color, as the well-rendered boat attracts the viewer to the focal point.” At the cross section of realism and impressionism, Steve’s “sea and shore” watercolor paintings are continually striving to capture the ever-changing texture of the light, water, land and sky. His influences include Degas, Turner, Homer, Hopper, Thon and Maryland’s own Jim Iams. Growing up on Thomas Point, just south of Annapolis, Maryland, kindled in Steve a deep affinity for the beauty of the Chesapeake Bay. Steve discovered early on that watermedia is well suited to the fluid, ever-changing sea and sky conditions that first inspired him to paint as a teenager, and that continue to fascinate and enthrall. Steve received a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) from Virginia Commonwealth University. An acclaimed artist, Steve is a prolific exhibiter and has won numerous prestigious creative and fine art awards, including numerous awards from The Maryland Federation of Arts. His pieces can be found in private collections, and recent exhibitions including: The Artists’ Gallery in Chestertown Maryland, River Arts in Chestertown, Maryland (People’s Choice Award), Queen Anne County Arts Council, and Annapolis Maritime Museum. Steve has had a long and fruitful professional career in the advertising, graphic design and film business, and has received prestigious local, regional and international awards.
Gretchen Ann Maneval, Post-Impressionist Oil Paintings
“The luminosity of Gretchen Maneval’s paintings are evocative of the Post-Impressionist era, with a touch of Fauvist flair. Gretchen has cultivated a vibrant painterly approach- landscapes dance with light, figures convey a sense of depth and spirit, and interiors vibrate with rich color and form.” Gretchen derives inspiration from many painters, including Fairfield Porter, Joaquin Sorolla, and Richard Diebenkorn. She began oil painting 35 years ago with Theresa Shovlin (formerly McDaniel) at Towson High School’s nationally renowned fine arts program (Class of ’92), where she received the prestigious United States Congressional Award for Creative Merit for a self-portrait which was exhibited in the U.S. Capitol Building, and she was selected for the Alex Cooke Memorial Mural Project and her original mural was installed at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Gretchen was awarded a Fine Arts scholarship to the University of Virigina (’96), where she studied visual art with Philip Geiger, along with an honors major in Political and Social Thought, and a minor in Urban Planning. During the late ‘90’s and early aughts while living in Washington, D.C., Gretchen studied and exhibited at the Washington Studio School, and at the Torpedo Factory Arts Center. After receiving her Master in City Planning degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT’s) School of Architecture and Planning in 2003, Gretchen moved to Brooklyn, New York, where in her spare time she studied in the studio atelier of Andrew Reiss, formerly of the Art Students League of New York, while professionally she worked as an affordable housing developer. After moving with her family back to Baltimore in 2014, she studied with Matthew Zoll at Zoll Studio of Fine Art.
Trevor Twist, Oil Paintings
Trevor Twist, a passionate artist and educator, has dedicated his life to the fine arts, inspiring countless individuals through his teachings, leadership, and creative endeavors. Born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, Trevor's journey in the arts began at an early age, culminating in a robust academic and professional career that spans various prestigious institutions.
Trevor pursued his undergraduate studies at Lehigh University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture in 2002, with a minor in Art and Architectural History and Religious Studies. His education continued at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, where he received a Certificate with Honors in 2006, focusing on painting, sculpture, and drawing. During his time at the academy, he was recognized as a Merit Scholar and served as a Student Ambassador, conducting interviews and portfolio reviews across the East Coast. His dedication to the craft further deepened with studies at Studio Incamminati under the esteemed Nelson Shanks, where he honed his skills in life drawing and portraiture.
With a strong foundation in the arts, Trevor began his professional career as the Assistant Director at the Sande Webster Gallery, where he not only excelled in sales but also curated exhibitions showcasing emerging artists. His passion for teaching soon led him to the Mitchell School of Fine Arts (MSFA) in Baltimore, where he currently serves as the Executive and Creative Director. Under his leadership since 2008, MSFA has flourished, tripling its enrollment and faculty while expanding its visibility within the community. Trevor has been instrumental in launching innovative programs, including an online platform for art instruction and the “Dare to Draw” after-school program, making art accessible to students of all ages.
In addition to his directorial role at MSFA, Trevor has contributed as a faculty member at Zoll Studios of Fine Art, where he hosts live figure drawing classes, and as the founder of the first after-school art club at Gilman School. His commitment to education extends to various substitute teaching roles, where he has nurtured artistic curiosity in middle and upper school students.
Trevor's achievements have not gone unnoticed. He has cultivated vital scholarship funding through the Polly Mitchell Scholarship Fund, developed comprehensive college preparatory curricula, and established a permanent art collection that includes works from renowned artists. His efforts have significantly enhanced the educational experience and artistic development of his students.
Through his innovative approach, dedication to teaching, and love for the arts, Trevor Twist continues to leave a lasting impact on the artistic community in Baltimore and beyond, nurturing the next generation of artists and fostering a deep appreciation for the fine arts.