Shelley Adler
Introducing Shelley Adler
June 18 - July 12, 2026
Opening Event: Thursday, June 18th with Artist in Attendance (5pm-7pm)
Kostuik Gallery is pleased to introduce the representation of Toronto-based painter Shelley Adler.
Art history has long been shaped by images of women created by men, often through what is known as the “Male Gaze.” While these works can be artistically powerful, they also influence how womanhood is represented. Canadian artist Shelley Adler offers a different perspective. Her women project confidence and presence, often meeting the viewer’s gaze and inviting a sense of connection.
Shelley Adler’s paintings of people’s faces are not portraits in the strict sense of the word as portraits are formulated primarily as likenesses of the sitter. Adler’s are often less about the sitter than the internal processes of the artist and her intense curiosity about people, about the ways of looking, and about the act of painting.
Adler’s figurative paintings explore light, colour, texture, and scale, with subjects drawn from people she knows, historical figures, and individuals she admires. Balancing portraiture and painterly expression, she creates vibrant, purposeful works that celebrate both character and form.