2026 Tattoo Awards Gallery Wall
The Tattoo Awards featured a gallery wall populated by local artists. Here is a selection of the artwork on display!
2026 Tattoo Award Winners
Favorite Animal/ Favorite Floral Tara D’Agostino – Iron Lion Tattoo By the numbers, Tara D’Agostino got her first tattoo at the age of 15, picked up her own tattoo machine at the age of 19, opened her own tattoo parlor 16 years ago, has been a tattoo artist for 20 years, and has won Motif […]
2026 Tattoo Awards Photos
By Olivia Lunger By Lillian MK Photography
2026 Tattoo Awards Winners
Favorite Color Tattoo Evan Olin, Powerline Tattoo Runner-up: Luis Bold, Unicorn Ink Favorite Black & Gray Ryan Dowden, Dark Ritual Runner-up: Luis Bold, Unicorn Ink Favorite Black & Gray with Color Steven McDonough, Secret Safe Tattoo Runner-up: Rachel WS, Rachel WS Fine Art Tattoos Favorite New School Style Mackenzie Blinn, Unicorn Ink Runner-up: Kimberly Miranda, […]
My Magical First Tattoo: London called
It’s my first time in London all by myself. My first time ever, I had my family and friends with me, but now it’s different. I want to mark my journey with Harry Potter, expressing my love for JK Rowling, while sporting a spell that emits love and light on my body at all times. […]
Celebrate Becoming a Mom with Some Beautiful Maternity Henna
It’s hard to picture celebrating a pregnancy with a temporary tattoo, especially given all the risks that come with carrying a little one. In some cultures however, henna, also known as Mehndi, is actually a very popular and beautiful way to celebrate pregnancy, which can certainly spawn some amazing ideas this Mother’s Day season. You’ve […]
Apprenticeship: Sacred Traditions Tattoo
19-year-old Sidney Lepore grew up with many artists in her family. She took an interest in art early on in life and always wanted a career that required creativity. At 18, she drew up a design of her cat, took it to a local shop, and got her first tattoo. “Seeing my own drawing as […]
MAKING POINTS WITH THE MOTTS
Once upon a time, if you wanted a tattoo, one of the things you could do was traipse to Newport from any of the four corners of the world and get yourself a tattoo drawn by a character named Carlton Mott, better known as Buddy. Tattoos were popularized at first by sailors who had them […]
ON THE COVER: Mish
The tattoo artist who goes by Mish, of Fall River, MA, created this month’s cover. “I got the nickname when I was younger, and it just kinda stuck,” she says. Also, it stirs a little mystery into life. Mish was born in Watertown, NY, and, after graduating high school, attended the University of Rhode Island, […]
2026 RI Tattoo Awards
The 2026 Tattoo Awards took place on June 2 at Narragansett Brewery. Check out the winners and photos from the event at the links below! “May your tattoo ink never run dry,” as the ancient Portlandian blessing goes, has rarely been more applicable. Motif is proud to partner again with Narragansett Brewery to bring you […]