Westfield Lawyer To Exhibit His Cartoons at Legal Nonprofit's Gala

Attorney From Westfield Will Exhibit Law-Related Cartoons To Benefit Nonprofit

Westfield resident Joseph M. Aronds, chief litigation and trial counsel at Hartz Mountain Industries Inc., will be among 11 artists exhibiting their work to benefit Volunteer Lawyers for Justice of New Jersey (VLJ).

Aronds will display his law-related cartoons, drawn in pen and ink and then colorized. He has been drawing cartoons since early childhood. He created a popular cartoon for the Georgetown Law Weekly, “Section 8,” and a monthly, law-themed cartoon, “Overruled!” for the New Jersey Corporate Counsel Association.

VLJ’s fundraising gala, Arts and Eats for Justice 2017, will exhibit and auction pieces ranging from paintings to ceramics to sculpture at the Valley Regency in Clifton on Nov. 1.

The artists, from within and outside the legal community, are giving VLJ 50 percent of their event sales to help fund the nonprofit’s legal programs for economically disadvantaged adults, children and families in New Jersey.

“We are grateful to these artists for exhibiting their rich talents and for sharing the proceeds to finance programs that improve the lives of individuals and families in New Jersey. We truly appreciate these artists’ commitment to VLJ’s mission,” said VLJ Executive Director Cathy Keenan.

Created in 2001, VLJ has provided pro bono legal services to thousands of economically disadvantaged clients in the areas of bankruptcy, family law, consumer rights, education law, veterans’ assistance, criminal reentry, disaster response, tenants’ rights, and human trafficking. VLJ is based in Newark.

The other participating artists are:

Katina Ansen, Mountain Lakes: Ansen paints on canvas, paper, glass, ceramics, and fiber.

Chandri and Gary Barat: Since 1997, their Barat Foundation has helped Newark students to work with artists to create public art displayed across the city.

Daniel Belardinelli, partner, McGlone, McGlone & Bellardinelli, Boonton: Through his paintings and mixed media, Belardinelli chronicles the realities of daily life.

Alyce Gottesman, Montclair and Inverness, CA.: She explores the rhythms of the seasons and the energy of nature in works created in oil, acrylic, ink, graphite and pencil.

Susan Herman, Verona, former New Jersey assistant deputy public defender: Her photography ranges from traditional to experimental and conceptual imagery, and captures the spontaneous mood on the street.

Jake Klar, Northampton, MA: In a pursuit to capture subtle and intimate moments, Klar mixes folk and fine art.

Marianne McGlone, Boonton: Her watercolor paintings are primarily landscapes, equestrian subjects and portraits.

Linda Sokolski, Ridgewood, former law guardian with the New Jersey Public Defender’s Office: Sokolski works with digital image transfer onto various substrates, with some mixed media components.

Robert Sundholm, North Bergen: His works—in paint, pen and ink—range from colorful landscapes to portraits of internationally known figures.