Commissioning a Portrait in Locust Valley, New York
If you are looking for a portrait artist in Locust Valley, Hazel Morgan offers a truly personal fine art service to clients throughout Locust Valley, New York 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 Locust Valley or in the wider Nassau 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 Locust Valley Area
As your trusted Portrait Artist Locust Valley, Hazel Morgan serves portrait clients in Locust Valley and the surrounding communities. Portraits are shipped directly to your door with professional packaging and full insurance coverage.
How to Commission a Portrait from Locust Valley
Commissioning a portrait from Hazel Morgan is a collaborative and enjoyable experience, regardless of where you are located in Locust Valley, New York. 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 Locust Valley, 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 Locust Valley typically receive their portrait within one to two weeks of completion.
Why Clients in Locust Valley 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 Locust Valley
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 Locust Valley 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 Locust Valley. 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 Locust Valley
Hazel admires Locust Valley for the quietly dignified way it holds onto its character. Tucked along the North Shore of Long Island, this small village carries a sense of history that feels lived-in rather than performed. The leafy lanes, the old stone walls, and the unhurried pace of life along Birch Hill Road all speak to a community that values depth over spectacle. For a portrait painter, that quality is genuinely rare and precious. Hazel finds that people who are rooted in a place like this tend to carry their stories visibly - in the way they hold themselves, in the ease they bring to a sitting, in the small details of expression that make a portrait feel truly alive.
Hazel loves the warmth her Locust Valley clients bring to every commission. There is a generosity of spirit here that she encounters again and again, whether she is meeting a family for the first time in their home or returning to a familiar face for a second sitting. The community has long drawn artists, writers, and thinkers to its shores, and that tradition of appreciating creative work makes her feel genuinely welcome. She particularly enjoys the connection to Nassau County Museum of Art, which sits nearby in Roslyn Harbor and keeps the conversation around visual art vibrant and meaningful for residents throughout the area. Knowing that her clients often have a thoughtful relationship with art already makes the work of portraiture richer and more collaborative.
Hazel also admires the landscape itself as a quiet source of inspiration. The estates and gardens of the Gold Coast, including the beautifully preserved grounds associated with the broader Oyster Bay area, remind her of the way light falls differently in a place shaped by both nature and intention. That interplay of softness and structure is exactly what she tries to bring to a painted portrait - the sense that someone has been truly seen, not simply recorded. Walking near Welwyn Preserve on a clear morning, she often finds herself thinking through compositional ideas, how shadow falls, how stillness suggests feeling.
Hazel also loves that Locust Valley feels like a place where people genuinely care about legacy - about passing something meaningful forward to the next generation. That instinct aligns beautifully with portrait painting, which is at its heart an act of preservation and love. She is deeply grateful to call this community part of her own story.
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 Locust Valley, New York.
Request a Free Consultation