Graduated from Pratt Institute in New York City in 1981 and quickly began his career in illustration and painting. Harrington’s paintings have been featured on more than 300 book covers, including Pride and Prejudice, Wuthering Heights and A Room with a View. His portrait of Maria Callas was used for the well-known poster for the TONY award–winning Broadway play “Master Class.”

In the fall of 2000, 40 of Harrington’s paintings illustrating Shakespeares plays and sonnets were published. Harrington also did a series of paintings for "Poetry for Young People" by W.B. Yeats, published by Sterling Publishing.

As the portrait artist for the Golf Hall of Fame in St. Augustine, Florida he recently completed portraits of Ben Prenchaw, Tommy Bolt and Harvey Penick. His most current shows include Figure in American Art held at the Eleanor Ettinger Gallery in New York City, and a Landscape River Series at the Travis Gallery in Pennsylvania, as well as a solo exhibit held at The Wells Gallery in downtown Charleston. Harrington has also been honored with the Silver Medal from the New York Society of Illustrators.

Many South Carolina residents and visitors may be familiar with the beautifully painted Cassique Preview Day of Tom Watson teeing off on the Cassique Golf Course. He is currently working on a mural for the Doonbeg Clubhouse of Greg Norman teeing off on the Doonbeg Golf Course in Ireland.