Great art often imitates life. It forces us to peel back the layers of our society and finally experience the raw emotions left out of the history books. When done well, art holds a mirror to all the beauty and ugliness that naturally escapes our traditional perspectives. It begs us to question realities that we […]
On August 1, I sat at the bar in a sold-out Blue Room (Cranston live music venue) and noticed the comfort, joy, and heartache Chris Capaldi’s music can bring to a space. This was the record release show for Capaldi’s 4-song EP Smaller Fires. It was apparent that each song was crafted with story and […]
We here at Motif have some sad news to report: The eight-legged arachnid who stood (crawled) careful guard over the patrons of Warwick Library has finally curled into her final resting place. Beezus passed away peacefully at the ripe age of 20 in her spacious cage. She enjoyed metaphorical romps in the park with her […]
When kids leave home, it is a significant transition not only for the ones who are going – but also for the ones left behind. Since I have seen several kids and grandkids head off to college or begin other adventures, I wanted to explore what It is like when someone who has been part […]
Bobby Forand: I never had a career path in mind. I guess I’ve never been all that organized. I didn’t plan ahead, even though I always told myself I should. This led to me haphazardly half-assing my way through whatever happened while hoping things would work out well enough or go away. I don’t suggest […]
The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at the University of Rhode Island is part of a network of 125 OLLIs that span all 50 states and the District of Columbia. They exist because of the philanthropy of Bernard Osher; knowing a little bit about Osher provides a good basis for understanding the lifelong learning philosophy […]
I’m not old, but I’m also not young. I look 18 sometimes but feel 62. I’m 31. For half my life, I didn’t have a phone. I never thought I would need one. I grew up on a farm. We’d run through the swamps and fields and orchards. I don’t have proof because no photos […]
Students take on many different lenses. After I graduated, I found this to be true in life. Sitting in class, students can become consumed by questions: Does my professor like me? Does the person I sit next to enjoy my company? These intrusive thoughts, aimed at validating our identity, bleed beyond the classroom into interactions […]
Between paper-bound streets, a young man sits at a small desk. Around him are amassed towers of books, each title like a glowing yellow window in an elusive night. The book is a beacon of comfort in the dark, akin to the sight of a roaming silhouette traveling through the light canvas of city windows […]
To meet cover artist Jack Xuandong Zhou is to rub elbows with an up-and-coming, celebrity-status, multifaceted professional. Zhou’s demeanor is as bright and shiny as his product; his humor and artwork juxtapose the balance between evil and good, dark and light. Zhou expresses, “The most memorable part is to capture the landscape of Providence in […]