Stefano Cusumano (1912-1975), a first generation Italian American, was born February 5, 1912 in Tampa, Florida. As a teenager he moved with his family to New York City where he enrolled in classes at Cooper Union and the Metropolitan Art School for four years.

In 1942 he began exhibiting his work at the Montross Gallery following in 1946-1950 at the George Binet Gallery and from 1953 through 1959 at the Passedoit Galley, all in New York City. He was affiliated with the Terry Dintinfass Gallery in NYC from 1967-1969 and continued to paint and exhibit his work until his death in 1975. He was also an adjunct faculty member of New York University from 1951-1974, and Cooper Union from 1955-1974.

 Stefano Cusumano's paintings and drawings are a part of the permanent collections of numerous museums including The National Gallery, Washington D.C.; The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City; Whitney Museum, New York City; Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, NY; Philadelphia Museum, Philadelphia, PA; Newark Art Museum, Newark, NJ; and National Museum of Art, Washington, D.C.

He was also recognized with the following awards and prizes: Foundation Purchase Prize, 1962; Childe Hassam Award, American Institute of Arts and Letters, 1968 and 1971; and the Dillard Purchase Award, Weatherspoon Museum, Greensboro, S.C., 1969.

He is listed in Who’s Who in American Art, 1972.