Ben Mahan lives on a farm in Morrow County, Ohio close to the area where he grew up.  He is married and has two daughters.  From an early age, he loved to draw and look at the pictures in books and magazines.  This early love of art helped him to develop an interest in illustration.  After high school, Mahan attended the Columbus College of Art and Design (CCAD).  Upon graduation he worked for Hallmark in Kansas City, MO.  Mahan worked there for a few years before moving to New York City where he began working in advertising and doing freelance illustration.  It was at this time that he started teaching art part-time at the Fashion Institute for Technology (FIT).  Also during this time, Mahan met Jim Henson and began a working relationship with him.  Mahan illustrated several of the Muppet books.  In addition to working on the Muppet books, he also created artwork for the Sesame Street TV shows.

Mahan has many illustrations in magazines and on greeting cards.  He has illustrated more than 50 children's books.  In recent years his artwork has been chosen for several UNICEF cards.  He is currently working on several educational programs for young children and teaches illustration part-time at CCAD.  For the past 25 years Mahan has worked primarily at home in his studio.  Most of his work comes to him through his agent in Westport, CT.  He has just finished the book, Chicken Little for Young Readers and is currently working on a book for the Children's Press, Cat in the Bag.  Mahan has exhibited at the Society of Illustrators and currently has several of his editorial illustrations on display at the Gallery of Contemporary Art in Rome, Italy.

He has won several awards for his work including New York One Show, CA Print, American Institute of Graphic Arts, and Society of Korea Illustration Art.  He is featured in the books: "How to get Started as a Freelance Illustrator, Humorous Illustration, and Who's Who in American Art.