Tara Dalton Bensen makes her home in Scotts Valley, California with her husband Chris, daughter Maya and springer spaniel, Bella. Tara is currently a freelance scientific illustrator, graphic designer, fine artist and photographer. She shows her work regularly, both locally and internationally.

Tara grew up in the Santa Cruz Mountains and has always enjoyed the outdoors, animals, and creative endeavors of all kinds. At the University of California Santa Cruz, she double majored in Art and Biology, spending a quarter studying Tropical Biology in Costa Rica. After receiving her BA in 2000, she went on to complete UCSC's graduate program in Science Illustration. Upon finishing school, Tara spent several months in Washington, DC as an intern at the Art Department of National Geographic Magazine.

In 2003 Tara returned to Santa Cruz and married her college sweetheart. Chris works as a software engineer and aspires to be a world famous nature photographer. When Tara and Chris aren't out drawing and taking pictures, they enjoy hiking, trail running, mountain biking, surfing, snowboarding, gardening, and taking their daughter to the beach.