Ben Haggett was raised in Whitefish, Montana. In 1994, he received a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts and Art Education from the University of Montana. Ben has worked in carpentry and boat building. He still spends his summers piloting and maintaining the beautiful old wooden boats that tour the lakes in Glacier National Park, and the park is also his favorite place to paint.

His Academic Awards include:

• Walter Hook Fine Arts Scholarship, 1993
• Fell-Oskins Fine Arts Scholarship, 1992
• Christopher Parker Memorial Award, 1992
• Wallace Fine Arts Award, 1993