Commissioning a Portrait in New Canaan, Connecticut
If you are looking for a portrait artist in New Canaan, Hazel Morgan offers a truly personal fine art service to clients throughout New Canaan, Connecticut and the surrounding area. With over four decades of professional experience, Hazel has built an international reputation for creating exquisite hand-painted oil portraits that capture the character, warmth, and individuality of each subject.
Whether you live in the heart of New Canaan or in the wider Fairfield County region, commissioning a portrait from Hazel is a straightforward and enjoyable process. Portraits can be painted from professional photographs, personal snapshots, or — where practical — from live sittings arranged at a location convenient to you.
Portrait Painting Services Available in New Canaan
Hazel offers a comprehensive range of portrait styles and subjects to suit every occasion and setting. Each portrait is painted entirely by hand in fine oil paints on premium Belgian linen canvas, using techniques refined over a career spanning more than four decades.
Classical & Formal Portraits
Traditional oil portraits for private collections, family legacies, and formal settings. Available as head-and-shoulders, half-length, or full-length compositions.
Corporate & Boardroom Portraits
Distinguished portraits of CEOs, directors, chancellors, and civic leaders. Painted to the exacting standards expected by boardrooms and institutional collections.
Family & Child Portraits
Intimate portraits that capture the personality and spirit of children and families. Painted from photographs or sittings to create a cherished keepsake.
Pet & Equestrian Portraits
Beautifully detailed oil paintings of beloved pets, horses, and companion animals. Each painting conveys the unique character and personality of the subject.
Memorial & Posthumous Portraits
Sensitive and respectful memorial portraits created from photographs. A meaningful way to honor the memory of a loved one through fine art.
Academic & Institutional Portraits
Portraits of chancellors, professors, benefactors, and distinguished alumni for universities, schools, and learned societies.
Portrait Artist New Canaan Area
As your trusted Portrait Artist New Canaan, Hazel Morgan serves portrait clients in New Canaan and the surrounding communities. Portraits are shipped directly to your door with professional packaging and full insurance coverage.
How to Commission a Portrait from New Canaan
Commissioning a portrait from Hazel Morgan is a collaborative and enjoyable experience, regardless of where you are located in New Canaan, Connecticut. The process has been refined over hundreds of commissions to ensure a seamless experience for every client.
Step 1: Initial Consultation
The process begins with a complimentary consultation — by telephone, video call, or email — during which Hazel discusses your vision for the portrait. This covers the subject, preferred composition, size, background, clothing, and any particular details you would like to include. There is no obligation at this stage.
Step 2: Photographs & References
For clients in New Canaan, Hazel can work from professional photographs, high-quality personal photographs, or a combination of multiple reference images. She provides clear guidance on the types of photographs that produce the best results. Where feasible, live sittings can also be arranged.
Step 3: The Painting Process
Once the composition is agreed, Hazel begins painting. The process typically takes between six and twelve weeks depending on the complexity of the piece. Clients receive progress photographs at key stages so you can see the portrait taking shape and provide feedback before completion.
Step 4: Delivery & Framing
Completed portraits are professionally packaged for shipping. Shipping and framing costs are provided once the painting is complete. Hazel can also recommend master framers who specialise in fine art framing to complement your finished portrait. Clients in New Canaan typically receive their portrait within one to two weeks of completion.
Get in Touch for a Personalized Consultation in New Canaan
Every portrait commission is unique, and Hazel provides a personalized quotation based on your specific requirements. Factors such as the size of the canvas, the number of subjects, and the complexity of the composition are all discussed during an initial telephone consultation, which is entirely free and without obligation.
Hazel welcomes inquiries from clients in New Canaan, Connecticut and is happy to talk through your ideas at a time that suits you. Whether you have a clear vision or are simply exploring the possibility of commissioning a portrait, she looks forward to hearing from you.
Why Clients in New Canaan Choose Hazel Morgan
Hazel Morgan brings a rare combination of artistic excellence, professional reliability, and personal warmth to every commission. Here is what sets her apart:
Over 40 years of professional experience — Hazel has been painting portraits professionally since the early 1980s, amassing a body of work that spans hundreds of commissions for private, corporate, and institutional clients worldwide.
Award-winning recognition — Her work has been exhibited at the Royal Society of Portrait Painters, the Royal Institute of Oil Painters, and other prestigious venues. She is a member of several leading art societies.
A personal, one-to-one service — Unlike studio operations, every portrait is painted entirely by Hazel herself. You deal directly with the artist from first consultation through to delivery, ensuring your vision is faithfully realised.
International shipping expertise — Hazel regularly ships completed portraits to clients across the United States, United Kingdom, Europe, and beyond. Every painting is professionally packaged to arrive in perfect condition.
Complete satisfaction guaranteed — Hazel works closely with each client throughout the painting process. Progress images are shared at every stage, and adjustments are made until you are completely happy with the finished portrait.
Frequently Asked Questions — Portrait Commissions in New Canaan
Hazel provides personalized quotations after an initial telephone consultation, during which she discusses your specific requirements. The consultation is complimentary and entirely without obligation. Please get in touch to arrange a convenient time to talk.
Not at all. The majority of Hazel’s commissions are painted from photographs, which makes the process convenient for clients in New Canaan and beyond. Hazel provides guidance on the best types of photographs to supply. Live sittings can be arranged where practical.
Most portraits are completed within six to twelve weeks from the start of painting, depending on the complexity of the commission. Hazel provides a realistic timeline during the initial consultation. Rush commissions can sometimes be accommodated for special occasions.
Hazel has extensive experience working with a range of photographic references, including older or lower-resolution images. She can often combine multiple photographs to create a single cohesive portrait. During the consultation, she will advise on whether your available photographs are suitable.
Completed portraits are professionally packaged using custom-built crating and shipped via insured courier directly to your address in New Canaan. Shipping and framing are quoted separately after the portrait is completed.
Client satisfaction is paramount. Hazel shares progress photographs at key stages throughout the painting process so you can provide feedback and request adjustments. This collaborative approach means that by the time the portrait is complete, it faithfully reflects your vision.
Why Hazel Loves New Canaan
Hazel admires New Canaan for the quiet, considered way its residents move through the world. There is a thoughtfulness here that she finds rare — people who genuinely value craft, who take time to notice the details in a handmade thing, and who understand that a portrait is more than a likeness. Walking through the town's leafy streets, past the striking modernist homes that earned New Canaan its reputation as a living laboratory of mid-century architecture, Hazel feels a deep sense of kinship with a community that has always taken aesthetics seriously. That shared sensibility makes every commission feel less like a transaction and more like a conversation between people who care about the same things.
Hazel loves the way New Canaan's clients bring their whole selves to the portrait process. They arrive with stories — about their families, their homes, the particular light that falls through a favourite window on a Sunday morning. That generosity of spirit gives her portraits their warmth and specificity. She has spent many afternoons exploring the New Canaan Nature Center, letting the rhythm of the landscape settle into her eye, and she finds that sense of seasonal, grounded beauty threading its way into how she sees her subjects. A client's patience, their humour, the way they sit — all of it connects to the place they call home.
Hazel also admires the town's rich cultural life, which has shaped its residents into unusually perceptive viewers of art. The Silvermine Arts Center, just a short drive from the heart of town, has nurtured artists and art lovers in this corner of Connecticut for over a century, and Hazel feels that legacy in the confidence with which New Canaan clients engage with her work. They ask the right questions. They notice the brushwork. They understand that portraiture is as much about feeling as it is about form, and that kind of audience quietly raises her game.
Hazel also loves the genuine warmth she encounters here — the ease with which neighbours become friends, the pride people take in their homes and their histories. New Canaan has a character that is both rooted and open, and she finds that combination irresistible. For a portrait painter, there is no better starting point than a community that knows who it is and is glad to share that with you.
Ready to Commission Your Portrait?
Begin with a complimentary, no-obligation consultation. Hazel would love to discuss your portrait ideas and provide a personalized quotation for clients in New Canaan, Connecticut.
Request a Free Consultation