Commissioning a Portrait in Excelsior, Minnesota
If you are looking for a portrait artist in Excelsior, Hazel Morgan offers a truly personal fine art service to clients throughout Excelsior, Minnesota 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 Excelsior or in the wider Hennepin 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 Artist Excelsior Area
As your trusted Portrait Artist Excelsior, Hazel Morgan serves portrait clients in Excelsior and the surrounding communities. Portraits are shipped directly to your door with professional packaging and full insurance coverage.
How to Commission a Portrait from Excelsior
Commissioning a portrait from Hazel Morgan is a collaborative and enjoyable experience, regardless of where you are located in Excelsior, Minnesota. 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 Excelsior, 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 Excelsior typically receive their portrait within one to two weeks of completion.
Why Clients in Excelsior 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 Excelsior
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 Excelsior 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 Excelsior. 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 Excelsior
Hazel admires Excelsior for the quiet, unhurried confidence it carries - a small lakeside community on the western shore of Lake Minnetonka that seems completely at ease with itself. There is something rare about a place that has genuine character without trying too hard to prove it, and Hazel notices this the moment she arrives. The town's historic downtown, with its independent shops and weathered wooden docks stretching into the water, feels lived-in and honest. That honesty translates directly into her portrait work. When a place has real soul, the people rooted in it tend to carry that same quality, and Hazel finds that Excelsior's residents sit for portraits with an openness and ease that she treasures deeply.
Hazel loves the way the community gathers around shared spaces and shared stories. The Commons on the Green is a wonderful example - a welcoming stretch of parkland where neighbours meet, children play, and the lake shimmers just beyond. Spending time near spaces like this reminds Hazel that great portraiture is ultimately about connection, about understanding how a person belongs to the world around them. She also has a genuine fondness for the Minnesota Streetcar Museum, tucked quietly into the town's fabric and tended by passionate volunteers who care deeply about preserving something real. That devotion to memory and history resonates with her, because painting a portrait is its own form of preservation - a way of holding a moment and a person still against the passage of time.
Hazel also admires the creative spirit that runs through Excelsior's residents. Many of her clients here are people who have built something meaningful - a family, a business, a creative practice - and they bring that sense of purpose into every sitting. They are curious, warm, and remarkably willing to be themselves in front of a canvas, which is not something every painter gets to experience. That generosity makes the work feel collaborative rather than formal, and the portraits that emerge from those sessions tend to be among her most alive and expressive.
Hazel also loves returning to Excelsior simply because it feels like a place that values what lasts. In a world that moves quickly, this town holds its ground with grace, and that steadiness gives her creative work a kind of anchor. She looks forward to every visit.
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 Excelsior, Minnesota.
Request a Free Consultation