Gerald Fried was born in NYC in July of 1951, and was raised in Lakewood, NJ. He showed and aptitude for art at an early age and at twelve, precociously decided that art would be his career. He began working in pencils, pen and ink, and watercolor while still in high school. Later, Fried attended the Philadelphia College of Art on scholarship, but left prematurely to take a job doing lithographs at a prominent New Jersey atelier, where he quickly rose in the ranks to the head of his department. During his tenure, Fried worked with such artists as, Peter Max, William Nelson, Sarah Churchill, John Pitre, Glen Fortune Banse, and Anton Krajnc. In addition to his illustrations and work in other graphics, Fried worked across the country as a sign painter, an itinerant musician, and an accomplished juggler.