Commissioning a Portrait in Chicago, Illinois
If you are looking for a portrait artist in Chicago, Hazel Morgan offers a truly personal fine art service to clients throughout Chicago, Illinois 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 Chicago or in the wider Cook 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 Chicago
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 Chicago Area
As your trusted Portrait Artist Chicago, Hazel Morgan serves portrait clients in Chicago and the surrounding communities. Portraits are shipped directly to your door with professional packaging and full insurance coverage.
How to Commission a Portrait from Chicago
Commissioning a portrait from Hazel Morgan is a collaborative and enjoyable experience, regardless of where you are located in Chicago, Illinois. 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 Chicago, 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 Chicago typically receive their portrait within one to two weeks of completion.
Get in Touch for a Personalized Consultation in Chicago
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 Chicago, Illinois 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 Chicago 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 Chicago
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 Chicago 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 Chicago. 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 Chicago
Chicago's energy, creativity, and rich cultural legacy make it a deeply compelling source of inspiration for portrait artist Hazel Morgan. Hazel is drawn to the extraordinary human stories woven into neighborhoods like Bronzeville, long celebrated as the cultural heart of African American arts and letters, and Pilsen, where vibrant murals transform entire city blocks into open-air galleries. The Art Institute of Chicago stands as one of the world's great repositories of portraiture and figure work, and Hazel admires how its collections — from Grant Wood's American Gothic to Georges Seurat's monumental Sunday on La Grande Jatte — speak to the enduring power of capturing the human face and form. That same spirit lives throughout Cook County, fueling a portrait tradition that feels both historic and urgently alive.
What captivates Hazel about Chicago is the remarkable diversity of faces, lives, and identities that define the city's character. She admires how communities gather at events like the Chicago Jazz Festival in Millennium Park and the Old Town Art Fair, two beloved Chicago traditions that celebrate creativity as something meant to be shared and experienced collectively. The shores of Lake Michigan provide a breathtaking natural backdrop that Hazel finds deeply evocative, and the city's legendary architecture — from the Sullivan Center on State Street to the ornate Rookery Building in the Loop — tells a story of ambition, reinvention, and civic pride that she believes resonates in every great portrait. Hyde Park's intellectual energy, anchored by the University of Chicago and the Museum of Science and Industry, adds yet another layer to the extraordinary tapestry of personalities that make Cook County so compelling for a portrait artist.
Hazel is also moved by Chicago's fierce sense of community identity, visible in everything from the storied history of the Green Mill Cocktail Lounge in Uptown to the grassroots creativity celebrated at the Chicago Artists Coalition. She admires a city that honors its past while continuously reinventing itself, and she believes that same spirit — resilient, expressive, deeply human — is exactly what great portraiture is meant to capture. For Hazel, creating portraits for clients in Chicago means engaging with some of the most vivid, layered, and compelling stories anywhere in America.
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 Chicago, Illinois.
Request a Free Consultation