Jerry Harston was born in Basin, Wyoming, and graduated from the University of Utah in graphic design. While represented by Artists International in New York City, he illustrated more than thirty books, many of them for major publishers. He worked as an illustrator in Akron and Cleveland, Ohio as well as Salt Lake City, Utah.

His work has been featured in the Society of Illustrators annual show in New York City and the Communication Arts annual show in Palo Alto, California. He designed a series of commemorative stamps for Antigua and Barbuda for the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, as well a numerous advertising illustrations for Fortune 500 corporations. Jerry and his wife Libby, now live in North Salt Lake, Utah. They have 6 children and sixteen grandchildren.