The collective of artists from the Southern Highlands to Sydney will hold their annual exhibition from February 10-23.

Stan Korytnyj, Michael Eccleston and Dale Saunders are long time locals of the Southern Highlands, and Peter Griffen and Denise Lithgow reside in Sydney.

The exhibition is titled Chapter 21 and the opening will be held on Friday, February 12 from 6pm to 8pm.

As well as an established artist and art teacher, local resident Stan Korytnyj is also a musician who toured for two decades, sharing the stage with musicians such as Daddy Cool, Bo Diddley, Normie Rowe, Dutch Tilders, the Four Tops, Johnny Young, The Angels, AC/DC, Cold Chisel, Paul Rogers and many more.

Stan Korytnyj is a semi abstract, figurative artist whose subject matter focuses on social commentary. His influences include Picasso, Brett Whiteley and Francis Bacon.

He developed an interest in art early on and gained a commercial Art Diploma while still in high school. This motivated him to strive for a scholarship to study at the South Australian School of Art at just 17 years old.

Stan taught art at Victor Harbor High School and played music for three decades, eventually settling in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales where he returned to painting.

For the past four years Stan has been working with 'The Gang Of Five' - a group of painters collectively exhibiting their body of work in galleries around Australia.

Their aims and aspirations are varied but they all agree that their work must communicate with the public at large, hopefully making it more aware of the Australian environment, whether natural or political.

The Gang of Five's exhibition at the BDAS in 2017 was opened by Ben Quilty and drew a crowd of 200. In 2020, the GOF exhibition "20/20 A New Vision" attracted 300 people.

You can find more about the Gang of Five here.

For more information about the BDAS Art Gallery and the upcoming exhibition details, head to bdasgallery.com