Cosmo Barbaro was born in Erie, Pa on January 9, 1973. He earned a B.F.A in woodworking from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania in 1996, and received his M.F.A. in furniture design from the Rochester Institute of Technology's School for American Craftsmen in 1999.

In 2006 he was commissioned by a designer to build two one of a kind Steinway art case pianos, and has worked at several universities across the south east United State as a professor in furniture design/3D design; which include University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Buffalo State College, and Murray State University. Currently he is the owner of Cosmo Barbaro Furniture where he primarily focuses on commissions. Cosmo's work has been featured in numerous publications across the nation; in addition his work has been in numerous galleries and shows nationally and internationally.