Alexandra Samios
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xanboni.bsky.social
Alexandra Samios
@xanboni.bsky.social
630 followers 1.9K following 5.4K posts
Skating, poetry, politics, history, gardening, Chicago, random. I make art. Antifa's girlfriend.
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xanboni.bsky.social
#ArtAdventCalendar Day 9

I can also draw real good (I just don't that often, but I'm thinking about a drawing a day for 2026)
Pencile drawing- profile of a 6-year old Asian child with sloppy cornrows and a long back braid. (This is my daughter, 30 years ago)
December 9, 2025 at 10:31 PM
xanboni.bsky.social
Look at this stripey lil guy
A black cat sitting in the reflection from slat blinds
December 8, 2025 at 6:41 PM
xanboni.bsky.social
#ArtAdventCalendar
from the archives, when I used to do monumental works on paper. This one is from 1980, and is somewhere in the collection of the old Continental Bank in Chicago because I used to have an actual art career.
"Jacob's Ladder" 10 foot tall pastel on paper; strips of color like ladder rungs down the center of the paper start in red climbing to yellow then blue then white (it's hard to see the white rungs at the top)
December 8, 2025 at 3:04 PM
xanboni.bsky.social
Right? Someday I may actually understand that poem
I was reading The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock aloud. As one does. Wrapped in an old blanket Against the cold Because ComEd sent me an email Telling me I used more electricity This week than last So I turned the heat down to 65 And shivered all day But where was I? Right Reading T.S. Elliott as night Fell with a glass of wine at my elbow On my father’s little end table Next to my mother’s old chair That recently found its way back to me (You can read about that elsewhere) Where was I? Right-the wine And the blanket And the poem and I’m Really getting into it (It’s a long poem and full of imagery That I can only sigh at Even though I don’t fully understand it) But where was I? Right- the cold My arm in the tangle Of the blanket At this phrasing: If one, settling a pillow or throwing off a shawl, And I tugged And sent the wine spraying All over my two-day new rug.
December 8, 2025 at 2:44 AM
xanboni.bsky.social
#ArtAdventCalendar Day 7, in honor of another snowy day, my journal "weather" showing the pages for Ice and Snow as well as the cover are (a collage of all the papers- sunshine, ice, snow, fog, rain)
A book standing on end, spine out, the cover is a collage of blue, yellow and white strips. The "ice" page-- grey and white acrylic on paste paper with sharp edges cut into the paper edge The "snow" page- pale blue and white acrylic on paste paper, heavily textured. The page is cut to resemble snow drifts.
December 7, 2025 at 3:37 PM
xanboni.bsky.social
Dolmadiki, my mother’s recipe. Rice, onion, and tomato seasoned with parsley. I used to only make these for family holidays but they’re so good that now I make them just for myself a few times a year. I mean it only takes two hours to roll them. We’ll see how long I can make them last!
A large silver-colored bowl filled with rice/tomato mix. On the counter next to it are some loose grapevine leaves and the jar they came out of. Prep tray showing 8 laid out grapevine leaves each with a spoonful of rice, ready to roll. Most of the first layer of the rolled dolmades. The full recipe will fill this pan to the top in three layers, ready to complete by simmering in 2c water for about 30 min. I promise not to eat them all in one sitting. (Srsly these things are candy)
December 7, 2025 at 1:36 AM
xanboni.bsky.social
#ArtAdventCalendar #Caturday
I make a chapbook of my poems every year, with an original paste paper cover. Here's last year's, Cat. (This year's coming up soon, I'm stitching the first set today!)
7 tall thin pamphlets fanned out and an open one propped behind. The closed ones have a lacy black pattern with an abstract cat shape scraped through the paint. The inner page visible in the open one has the title "Cat" and an outline of a cat viewed from behind, her tail curling towards the bottom of the page.
December 6, 2025 at 3:08 PM
xanboni.bsky.social
#ArtAdventCalendar Day 5 #ForestFriday

Two of I think 4 books I made with this paper. It wasn't intended to look like a forest, but it absolutely does. One of my favorite sets.
A book open to the inside front and leaf, showing an abstract painting (acrylic on paste paper) of bare trees in a snowfall. The prior book cover. A white ground with uneven branch-like strips of brown collaged on. Another of the branches book set, same paper. This book shown standing, spine out. The pages are white, gold, and green.
December 5, 2025 at 4:55 PM
xanboni.bsky.social
Here's one I'd like to know more about, because I didn't know this?
Screen shot of Jacob Bogage post: "USPS is required by law to try to break even. It generally doesn’t take taxpayer dollars to fund operations. That’s what makes this a monumental gamble from Steiner. Amazon is USPS’s largest client — by far. And he’s letting them walk out the door, and even become a top competitor."
December 5, 2025 at 3:02 PM
xanboni.bsky.social
#ArtAdventCalendar Day 4. Cover art for my 2025 chapbook. I'll stamp the title on these, as an edition of 24 features handpainted covers (all on this general design). I'll print another 36 with cover art designed by @theblindwoodchuck.bsky.social
Acrylic on paste paper. Red background with wide stripes drawn through it, suggesting an American flag. Stamped blue stars in a random pattern in the lower right and upper left.
December 4, 2025 at 2:43 PM
xanboni.bsky.social
Most common word used: fucking (lol i need to examine my life choices)

Pretty proud of this↓, although it's not actually hard, folks. Please use alt text.
A scoring graphic shaped like a solid orange ring on a black background with the legend "100% of images have alt text"
December 4, 2025 at 3:38 AM
xanboni.bsky.social
A break from the paste paper and books. Here's a drawing of a whistle, which will be an illustration in my 2025 chapbook (more on that coming up) #ArtAdventCalendar Day 3
Pencil drawing of a metal whistle on a lanyard.
December 3, 2025 at 6:50 PM
xanboni.bsky.social
Cat TV is the best tv
A black cat watching a red bird on a computer screen
December 2, 2025 at 8:37 PM
xanboni.bsky.social
Day 2 of #ArtAdventCalendar #PrideArt #QueerArt
One of my Pride series. Most of them were rainbows, this one is a little more in your face. Shows also how the paper turns into a book
Paste paper painting (flour paste and acrylic on paper) in black and pink. Texture is made with by flicking a plastic basting brush across wet paint, plus some finger prints. there are stencils of pink triangles and the word queer scattered across the surface. The tapes-bound book made from the paper shown standing, spine out. (Available for purchase, DM me)
December 2, 2025 at 2:32 PM
xanboni.bsky.social
There's a reason he doesn't keep this on his desk
Truman's "The Buck Stops here" desk sign (The and here are in script, BUCK STOPS is all caps)
December 1, 2025 at 3:05 PM
xanboni.bsky.social
#BlueSkyMonday. #UkraineArt and #ArtAdventCalendar Day One. I'm working on turning this into an actual advent calendar for Ukraine. (Normally I make these paste papers and turn them into book covers, but this was so beautiful I couldn't bear to cut it up)
abstract painting (acrylic on paper). The bottom half is bright yellow with brown and orange swirls, and wavy lines emulating stalks rising into the top half, which is all blue with swirling lines suggesting wind and poofy white circles suggesting clouds. The world contracts to the edge of my window bay The edge of the computer screen One containing my small yard The other keeping the world away The window shows the sunflower blooms Yellow flowers against blue sky The neighbors cars as they drive through Yellow flowers against the blue Against the rubble and the din You cannot keep the world From getting in
December 1, 2025 at 2:49 PM
xanboni.bsky.social
This little guy was sheltering from the snowstorm on my front stoop, huddled up against the screen door. I dislodged her when I opened the door (couldn’t see her from inside). So sorry baby I hope you find a new safe place!
A tangle of snow covered trees viewed from under a scallop-edged awning. A grey dove sits on a branch.
November 30, 2025 at 3:25 PM
xanboni.bsky.social
Post your favorite "Transformers" character. Wrong answers only.
Skater in a shiny green shirt and black pants with gold decorations. He has a pony tail and is seen three-quarters view gesturing off screen with his stretch our right arm. He has a huge smile on his face because he just freaking one US Nationals with one of the most iconic long programs in US figure skating history. (Jason Brown, Riverdance long program, 2014)
November 29, 2025 at 10:32 PM
xanboni.bsky.social
I started sending handbound chapbooks instead of holiday cards about 5 years ago. Proof copy for this year's "Chronicle of the Rebellion". Cover art by @theblindwoodchuck.bsky.social coming! #poets
a tall thin blue book with a handwritten title "A Chronicle of the Rebellion" (actually there's no "A" in the title I just forgot my own title) lying on a wooden surface Title page: Chronicle of the Rebellion/a poetry cycle for 2025 A page showing the table of contents: Table of contents: Chronicle of the Rebellion A poetry cycle for 2025 By Alexandra Samios SALUTE Know Your Rights Breadcrumbs On the eve of the Inauguration Late February Stories This is not a candle What’s next Palimpsest Archeology Respite Fist On Tyrants A page showing one of the poems: What’s next Proceed Like this cat Draped bonelessly over my thighs Like her, I am currently wondering Do I simply give in to this moment Or do I use my murder claws To hang on
November 29, 2025 at 8:08 PM
xanboni.bsky.social
Here is Slim trying her very best to be a tuxedo cat but only able to manifest a couple white dots #Caturday
A black cat sits on a low table looking suspiciously into the camera. She has a little white fur triangle on her chest and another in each haunch. There is a green bench couch with a plaid pillow in the background (i quite like that pillow)
November 29, 2025 at 3:04 PM
xanboni.bsky.social
"you will be visited by three spirits."

The three spirits:
Cloris Leachman as Phyllis (with her blonde hair in a messy updo wearing a full length yellow and pink paisley dress) and Valerie Harper as Rhoda (dark hair parted in the middle, wearing a plaid knee length dress) stand behind Mary Tyler Moore (seated on a stool, wearing a dark red crew neck sweater and orange skirt, with her hair in a perfect flip).
November 26, 2025 at 4:08 AM
xanboni.bsky.social
I wasnt quite ready to give up my garden but I get a little pang that I didn’t buy the beautiful vintage condo overlooking this park every time i walk through it.
A native plants bog with the half timbered vintage building where I didn’t buy that condo in the background. (Indian Boundary Park, Chicago) Looking over a rustic fence at a pond and island with two large willow trees nearly bare in the fall gloom. Begins it is the “castle” another vintage apartment building so called bc of its turrets.
November 25, 2025 at 11:17 PM
xanboni.bsky.social
I did in fact spend several days sitting in a cardboard box when I first moved here.
A thin older woman with pink hair sleeping in a very large cardboad box. (Must have been an appliance box, bc my house had no kitchen when I moved in) Also, god I was thin.
November 24, 2025 at 3:55 AM
xanboni.bsky.social
Oh dear lord I need this item (antique Wedgewood, lol is there a bank I can rob?)
A small very round teapot (maybe 6-8"? looked small in the video) fashioned to look like an ear of corn. The body is golden kernels with green leaves wrapping up from the bottom (like an ear of corn). The handle and spout are green. My mother collected ceramics shaped like flowers, fruits, and plants, so stuff like this goes /straight/ to the hippocampus in a cloud of oxytocin. Can literally feel my pupils dilating.
November 23, 2025 at 9:55 PM
xanboni.bsky.social
I just want to thank #birdsky for this morning! So many wonderful pictures. Have a poem about a bird:
A poem next to a bird head painted on a silver tray (that is, the tray is the "canvas") The bird is looking straight at the viewer; its head & neck are white, with a wild uncombed crest of thin black feathers. The poem: Rolling off the bed I nearly squash the cat When I straighten the covers I dislodge her entirely She takes a swipe at my ankle As she stalks indignantly off I stumble to the bathroom To rinse my dry mouth And catching a glimpse In the early silver of the mirror Wonder how quickly I can make coffee
November 20, 2025 at 3:10 PM