About/CV
Jonah Strub is a Toronto-based gay, Jewish artist with a primary focus on sculptural ceramics. His work is a love letter to camp, kitsch, musical theatre, Yiddish humour, and drag, allowing him to explore his own femininity through the humour of traditionally queer and Jewish aesthetics. He dives into themes like glamorous Jewish grandmothers, flamboyant creatures, and self-portraiture, often layering his face onto my creations, blending over-the-top patterns with exuberant, joyful imagery to celebrate himself as fully realized kitsch.
Through his drag persona, Loxanne Creamcheese, a vivacious Jewish superstar, Jonah channels flamboyance in bold, undeniable ways. His work aims to spark dialogue around masculinity, femininity, matzo balls, and outrageous up-dos, embracing the harmony of his Jewish and queer identities with humor, bright colors, animal prints, and body hair.
Jonah hold a BA in Studio Art from the University of Guelph, specializing in oil painting and sculpture, and discovered his love for ceramics during an exchange in Bremen, Germany, in 2019. Jonah has participated in both the Banff Emerging Artist in Residence Program in Banff, Alberta and the Medalta Artist in Residence program in Medicine Hat, Alberta. Jonah has exhibited his work across Canada including at The Canadian Clay and Glass Museum, Art Gallery of Burlington, The Artist Project, and the Museum of Jewish Montreal. Alongside his art practice, Jonah works as a ceramics instructor, sharing his passion for the medium with others.
Curriculum Vitae
Arts and Cultural Training, Learning
2014-2019 B.A. Double Major in Studio Art and Honours Psychology,
University of Guelph
2019 Visiting Exchange Student at University of the Arts Bremen (HfK), Bremen, Germany
2021-22 Certificate in Cartooning and Illustration, George Brown College
Artistic and Cultural Work Presented to the Public
2025 The Artist Project 2025, Art Fair, Better Living Centre, Toronto, ON (Upcoming)
2025 Shtetl in the Sun, Andy Sweet and Jonah Strub, Museum of Jewish Montreal, Montreal, QC
2024 Emerging Vistas, Group Show, Micak Contemporary Art Gallery, Aurora, ON
2024 Fusion Breakthrough PLUS Travelling Exhibition
· Newmarket Town Hall, Newmarket, ON
· Art Gallery of Burlington, Burlington, ON
· The Canadian Clay and Glass Museum, Waterloo, ON
· The Thames Gallery, Innisfil, ON
2024 The Early Bird Gets the Worm, Group Show, Aurora Cultural Centre, Aurora, ON
2024 The Artist Project 2024, Art Fair, The Better Living Centre, Toronto, ON
2023 “Party People Part Deux”, Group Show, Black Book Gallery, Denver, CO, USA
2023 “Celebrate 30”, Auction, Canadian Clay and Glass Museum, Waterloo, ON
2023 “Art Lotto Presents: Super Hot Scene”, Group Show, B Side Gallery, Hamilton, ON
2023 “The Artist’s Project: Untapped Emerging Artist”, Better Living Centre, Exhibition Place, Toronto, ON
2023 “I Saw the Merman at the Banff Trading Post”, Glyde Hall, Banff, AB
2022 “Toy Show”, Group Show, Toutoune Gallery, Toronto, ON
2022 “Voices”, Group Show, Canadian Clay and Glass Museum, Waterloo, ON
2022 “Boob Tube”, Performance, Globe Studios, Kitchener, ON
2022 “Apophenia Zephyr”, Group Show, The Drey Gallery, Toronto, ON
2022 “Living Room Show”, Group Show, Fabricated Gallery, Halifax, NS
2022 “Cezanne’s Closet”, Group Show, Union Gallery, Kingston, ON
2021 “Garden Variety Show”, Group show, Storus Garden, Toronto, ON
2021 “Adorned: Part of CONTACT Festival”, Group show, The Plumb, Toronto, ON
2021 “Proud Deviants and Queer Multiples”, Digital group show, Hamilton, ON
2021 “Temporary Collection”, Digital group show, EdVideo, Guelph, ON
2021 “Plumbraiser Auction”, Digital group show and auction, The Plumb, Toronto, ON
2019 “I.D.”, Group show, Blue Room Gallery, Toronto, ON
2019 “IBS: The Musical”, Solo show, Front Room Gallery, Waterloo, ON
2019 “Palmification”, Group show, FeldFünf Berlin, Berlin, Germany
2019 “DOUBLE DOUBLE”, Group show, Flut Gallery, Bremen, Germany
2019 “B-WARE PART II”, Group show, Kunstpunkt Berlin, Berlin, Germany
2019 “B-WARE PART I”, Group show, Decanardstraße Gallery, Bremen, Germany
Residencies
2025 Medalta International Artist in Residence Program (1 Month)
2023 Emerging Banff Artist in Residence - Winter 2023
Artist Talks and Presentations
2024 “Jewish Futures: An Arts and Culture Salon”, participating in panel “Kvelling or Kvetching: Making Yiddish Art?”, Prosserman JCC, Toronto, ON
2023 “NPCC Celebrates Pride Featuring Jonah Strub”, Artist Talk, Nielsen Park Creative Centre, Toronto, ON
2023 “Voices” Exhibiton Roundtabe and Artist Talk, Canadian Clay and Glass Museum, Waterloo, ON
Teaching and Workshops
2025 Shtetl in the Sun Workshop, Museum of Jewish Montreal, Montreal, QC (Upcoming)
2025 Chimeric Self Portraiture Sculpture Workshop, Art Gallery of Burlington, Burlington, ON (Upcoming)
2025 Fabulous Four Legged Friends Workshop, Feldspar Ceramics, Toronto, ON (Upcoming)
2025 Ceramics Instructor, Prosserman JCC, Toronto, ON
2023-24 Handbuilding Instructor, Clay With Me Pottery Studio, Toronto, ON
2024 “Early Bird Gets the Worm Workshop: Build Your Alter Ego”, Aurora Cultural Centre, Aurora, ON
2023 Handbuilding Sculpture Workshop Instructor, Play With Clay, Hamilton, ON
Arts and Cultural Work Experience
2025 Studio Assistant to Ceramicist Kathy Kranias, Toronto, ON
2024 Show Ambassador for The Winter One of a Kind Show, Enercare Centre, Toronto, ON
2024 Docent for Rhéanne Chartrand’s Exhibition “the place to which we return.”, Art Toronto, Toronto, ON
2024 NPCC Celebrates Pride Official Juror, Nielsen Park Creative Centre, Toronto, ON
2023 Docent for Kitty Scott’s Exhibition “One Foot Forward”, Art Toronto, Toronto, ON
2021-24 Sales Representative and Social Media Manager, Beguiling Books and Art, Toronto, ON
2022 Gallery Attendant, The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery, Toronto, ON
2021 Visitor Service Representative, Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, ON
2021 Sales Representative, Midoco Art and Office Supplies, Toronto, ON
2019-20 Event Staff at Informa Canada, Toronto, ON
2019 Studio Assistant for Sara Levine Petroff, Toronto, ON
2018-19 Gallery and Administrative Assistant, Art Gallery of Guelph, Guelph, ON
2017-19 Educational video animator and editor, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON
2019 Performer, 4V4LON 5 by FASTWÜRMS, Paul Petro Gallery, Toronto, ON
2018 Research Intern, Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives, Toronto, ON
Bibliography
“Fusion’s 50th Anniversary Scholarships”, FUSION Magazine (Fall 2024), Volume 48 Number 3: Pages 34-37. https://www.clayandglass.on.ca/_files/ugd/4d0a87_de83b2d92ad144c6ad2c9c7176de20e1.pdf
“Return of the Strub” by Marc Weisblott, The Canadian Jewish News Magazine (Fall 2024): Page 94.
https://issuu.com/thecjn/docs/the-cjn-fall-2024
“An Interview with Jonah Strub” by Odessa Paloma Parker, Opaloma Newsletter
https://view.flodesk.com/emails/6614a5bca7ac878d51495bbd
“Going to Artist Project this weekend? Add these 5 things to your agenda” by Leah Collings, CBC Arts, April 10, 2024
https://www.cbc.ca/arts/artist-project-2024-toronto-what-to-see-1.7169216
“Hi, Art” by Wynne Neilly, CBC Arts, April 16, 2023
“Buying Art: Artist Project hits Toronto with everything from kitschy ceramics to portraits to large-scale installations and a tower of banned books” by Sue Carter, Toronto Star, April 12, 2023
Smith, Matthew Ryan, PhD. “Clay, Glass, and Textures of Identity.” Voices: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Canada. Exhibiton Catalogue (2022): Pages 62-66
“Experiential Learning Alumni Feature: Jonah Strub”, by Ahmri Vandeborne, Co-operative Education and Career Services at the University of Guelph, June 2, 2021
“Community Feature: Jonah Elizabeth Strub”, by Elly Grant, Double Dipped, March 21, 2021
https://doubledipped.ca/jonah-elizabeth-strub/
“August Featured Artist”, by Ahmri Vandeborne and Abby Nowakowski, Otherwise Studios, August 1st, 2020
https://otherwisestudios.com/featured-artists/august-featured-artist-2/
“Creamcheese, Chimeras and Cheetah Print: IBS The Musical by Jonah Strub at The Front Room Gallery in Waterloo, ON” by Rebecca Casalino, Off Centre, January 16th, 2020,
https://weareoffcentre.com/Creamcheese-Chimeras-and-Cheetah-Print
“Jonah Strub: An Interview” by Ben LaPierre, Queer Media Magazine, June 12th, 2018, http://queermediamag.com/jonah-strub-an-interview/
“[ir]REGULAR + [ir]RATIONAL Displays Diverse Painting Practices” by Laurel McLeod, The Ontarion, April 12th, 2018, p. 27
Selected Collections
· Corporate Collection of Dr. Andrea Gelinas at Gelinas Dental Arts, Toronto, ON
· Private Collection of Marcia Gillman, Montreal, QC
· Private Collection of Matt Kingston, Toronto, ON
Awards and Grants
2025 Ontario Arts Council Exhibition Assistance from Recommender Harbourfront Centre
2024 Ontario Arts Council Exhibition Assistance from Recommender Art Gallery of Burlington
2024 FUSION 50th Anniversary Scholarship
2023 The Artist’s Project: Untapped Emerging Artist