By Barbara Yoresh

Entertainment writer

When an exquisitely rendered portrait of someone else's pet has the ability to bring an animal lover to tears, then it's likely the artist is possessed of a major gift.

Sherry Haaland of Vero Beach is such a talent. Her pastel renditions of pets, as well as human portraits, landscapes and still lifes are stunning in their almost photo-realistic detail, depth and richness of color using pastel.

I recently met Mrs. Haaland at the Vero Beach Museum of Art during a luncheon for media representatives and artists who were participating in the Vero Beach Art Club's Art Trail event, which was held Dec. 5. The annual outing enables art lovers to visit artists in their homes and studios to view first-hand the creative process and purchase art directly from the artist.

While there, my eyes were especially drawn to a portrait featuring a yellow Labrador retriever zonked out on a couch with what appeared to be a long-haired Chihuahua. The two were enmeshed like a pair of young litter-mates and the realism of those faces and fur was such that one almost expected to see movement and other signs of life.

I must admit to being a dog lover all my life and a pet owner for much of it, although I am without such companionship now. Mrs. Haaland's subject matter has special appeal to me personally and the manner in which she so ably depicts her subjects makes them irresistible.

I later learned the Lab was named Chloe, the Haaland's beloved pet who died earlier this year after an unusually long life for the large breed. The Chihuahua was Chico, a delightfully fluffy and friendly guy who I was to meet shortly.

Mrs. Haaland was, not-so-surprisingly, a warm, sensitive and likeable individual who felt like a friend upon first meeting.

Formerly from New York, Sherry and Charles Haaland moved to Vero Beach in 2006 to be close to Mrs. Haaland's father and sister. Prior to the move, she owned and operated a specialty commercial sign shop for 20 years.

Her interest in artistic endeavors came early and probably as the result of having the good fortune to be born into a creative family.

"My mother wrote and painted and my father painted. My grandmother was a pianist and church organist and my brother is a musician," Mrs. Haaland said.

As a youngster, her mother took her to a neighbor who gave art lessons and it was there, at an unusually young age, that she began to work in oils.

By the time she reached high school, she "did everything."

"I loved jewelry making and painting and when I went to college, I got a BS in art education (from the State University of New York at New Paltz)," Mrs. Haaland said.

She taught for a while and later did substitute teaching, which she still does for the Indian River County School District.

Back in her hometown of Mahopac, N.Y., her brother and father operated a sign shop. When her brother left to pursue his education, Mrs. Haaland joined her father and operated the shop until her move to Florida.

"I had put aside my oils after college, but I did have the urge to paint something now and then," she said.

Her creative juices were doubly stimulated when she tried working with pastels.

"Once I got introduced to pastels it snowballed. A new box of pastels was like candy to me; so many, beautiful colors and it's so immediate a medium.

"You pick a color and use it; no mixing oils. It's a very forgiving medium," she said.

While her range of subject matter is wide, Mrs. Haaland especially enjoys pet portraits, often after people have lost their animal friends.

"It's the most rewarding for me and I love to see the customer's face when they see the portrait. It's the power of love we have for our pets that drives my desire to bring that life and emotion to the artwork.

"With the animal subjects, I feel like I'm really giving something back," Mrs. Haaland said.

She is a member of the Vero Beach Art Club and co-founder of the Patel Society of Eastern Florida.

Her work is gaining area attention and she sold 10 pieces during the Art Trail event.

Her pet portraits begin at $250 and she works closely with her clients during the creative process.

For more information, call (772) 562-7384 or visit www.pastelpets.com.