Joanne Pagano Weber is a visual artist, writer, performer, and educator. She is a native New Yorker who has exhibited throughout the tri-state area. She has contributed cover art for numerous anthologies and publications. She created the first of many sets for the Alternative New Year’s Day Spoken Word/Performance Extravaganza, establishing thematic set design as an integral part of the yearly event instituted by then boyfriend, now husband, Bruce Weber. She and Bruce have begun a new Extravaganza tradition upstate in Ulster County since relocating in 2018 to Saugerties, NY, and they co-curate Dialogues for the Ear and Eye, a monthly cross-disciplinary arts series. Joanne is an avid member of Shout Out Saugerties, a vibrant town arts organization that spans all creative disciplines, and includes activism. She had a long career as a textile designer in NY and has recently retired from her second career as an adjunct professor of Studio Art and Art History.