Commissioning a Portrait in Exeter, New Hampshire
If you are looking for a portrait artist in Exeter, Hazel Morgan offers a truly personal fine art service to clients throughout Exeter, New Hampshire 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 Exeter or in the wider Rockingham County, NH 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 Exeter Area
As your trusted Portrait Artist Exeter, Hazel Morgan serves portrait clients in Exeter and the surrounding communities. Portraits are shipped directly to your door with professional packaging and full insurance coverage.
How to Commission a Portrait from Exeter
Commissioning a portrait from Hazel Morgan is a collaborative and enjoyable experience, regardless of where you are located in Exeter, New Hampshire. 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 Exeter, 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 Exeter typically receive their portrait within one to two weeks of completion.
Why Clients in Exeter 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 Exeter
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 Exeter 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 Exeter. 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 Exeter
Hazel admires Exeter for its rare ability to hold centuries of history and a genuinely warm community spirit within the same breath. Walking through the city, it's impossible not to feel moved by the soaring medieval architecture of Exeter Cathedral, which has watched over the lives of countless generations of local people. For Hazel, that sense of accumulated human story is deeply connected to her work as a portrait painter. Every face she paints carries its own quiet history, and Exeter, perhaps more than anywhere else she visits, seems to understand that instinctively.
Hazel loves the people she meets through her portrait commissions in Exeter, finding them unusually thoughtful and open when it comes to sitting for their portraits. There's a willingness to be seen honestly, without pretence, that she finds genuinely rare and rather beautiful. She believes this quality has something to do with the city's character - a place shaped by independent thinkers, artists and makers over many years. The Royal Albert Memorial Museum reflects this beautifully, celebrating the rich cultural and natural life of the region with real depth and curiosity. Spending time among its collections always leaves Hazel feeling freshly inspired about the stories that portraits can tell.
Hazel also admires the distinct neighbourhoods that give Exeter so much of its texture and personality. The Quayside area, with its independent traders, weathered warehouses and the easy flow of the River Exe, reminds her that the most compelling portraits are rarely about grandeur - they're about character, lived experience and the quiet details that reveal who someone truly is. She often finds herself sketching ideas for new compositions after an afternoon spent simply wandering there, watching the light change over the water.
Hazel also loves returning to Exeter because of the genuine relationships she has built with clients there over time. Portrait commissions are intimate by nature, requiring a real sense of trust between artist and subject, and she finds that Exeter clients bring an openness and generosity to the process that makes the whole experience deeply rewarding. It's a city that feels like a natural home for her work, and she looks forward to every visit with sincere warmth and enthusiasm.
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 Exeter, New Hampshire.
Request a Free Consultation