Isham, Sheila. Teth (#8 Creation Series). 1972. Acrylic spray on canvas. Newport Art Museum, Newport, RI. (Image courtesy of the Newport Art Museum.) Quite some time ago, I read a quip that the art of diplomacy...
As an international student a year into Rhode Island, yet still only a breath into America, I finally found a question that I might be able to answer – this is my continued exploration of: What...
Tucked inside the historic Harrison Steam Complex in Providence's Olneyville neighborhood, Siren Spirits is redefining what a visit to a distillery can be. Equal parts neighborhood gathering place, cocktail destination, and craft spirits experience, this...
Music makes beer taste better? In 2016, Vrije University in Brussels, Belgium, conducted a study that showed scientific evidence that music has an impact on our taste of beer. This study concluded that lower audible...
Cold Chocolate. Okee dokee folks… Well, summer is here and for me, summer is HELL! A few years back I wrote a song about my disdain of Summer for the Empire Revue’s “Cool” show. Here are...
America, the focus of this issue, runs on wealth. So here’s how to get yourself some. It’s the perfect opportunity to launch a new column aimed at helping non-one-percenters with financial matters. Feel free to...
...
“Foreigner.” I find it a harsh word that I hate seeing applied to others. Yet applied to myself, it’s the only word that half conveys how baffling I find this country at times. I’d like...
In his final year at college, cover artist William Schaff truly learned what it was like to work in a studio. “I developed a course of study in general fine arts with one of my...
Rachael Warren as Diana. Photo by Mark Turek. The Next to Normal audience is exposed to waves of raw emotions drowning your soul and dampening your eyes. You may wish you had premedicated with any of...
Blaq Sav. Photos by Lillian MK Photography. Favorite Free Verse Spoken Word 2026 Ashley Hosa Sending out a big congrats to Ashley Hosa, who came to the Spoken Awards with a multitude of wonderful supporters (shoutout to Ryan!)....
The founder of the long-standing hipster-ish West Side restaurant Julians hadn’t been involved directly with the restaurant in quite some time. But his legacy persisted. A larger-than-life personality, you never knew at what event Julian...
Renowned supporter of local music and arts Lisa Gourley (Sometimes Lisa Gourleyx) passed away on June 15. Reading reactions on social media, you can’t help but notice how often the words “nice,” “kind,” and “photography”...
This beautiful Solstice moment, June 21, 2026 brings the winds of change into our lives. The pivotal points among the planetary movers and shakers of the Zodiac find Gemini, with Uranus and Ceres, reaching across...
By Olivia Lunger By Lillian MK Photography ...
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...
By Lillian MK Photography By Olivia Lunger ...
Photo by Lillian MK Photography. Favorite Free Verse Spoken Word Ashley HosaRunner-up: Jeff Daniellian Favorite Social Justice Spoken Word Erik AndradeRunner-up: Mx Asher Favorite Youth Poet Angel CruzRunner-up: (by one vote) Josselyn Wolf Favorite Poetry Event Apothica's Monthly Poetry NightRunner-up: Afroverse Favorite...
Congratulations, you survived the record-breaking Blizzard of 2026. With the anticipated arrival of clear skies and warm temps, how will you be spending your well-earned, much-needed downtime this summer? If you’re adventurous, you could explore some of...
Artwork by Bob Eggleton. Godzilla has been a cinematic icon for over 70 years. However, there are important themes around the monster that have gotten lost with international audiences. There is no gigantic monster that has had...
Tie-dye by Spun Laundry. BEACHES Atlantic Beach Park: Family beach, amusements, kiddy rides, snack bars, antique 1915 carousel, batting cages, bumper boats, go-carts, mini golf, game room, waterslides, gift shop, beachware and an ocean-view cocktail lounge. 321...
Photos by Lillian Karboski. Every time you listen to a song, there is always something more than the words or catchy melody. On Friday, May 1, right in the heart of downtown Providence, an extraordinary group...
Okee dokee folks… Rising costs of everything is what’s on my mind this month. It really should be on everyone’s mind. The main things I will talk about here are gasoline and concert tickets. One...
Photo: Christopher Mongeau. Ravi Shavi, a band that has been around since 2011 and started as a moniker for Rafay Rashid’s music project, has evolved and become more rooted in its creative approach and performance, as...
“Can I go to X?” is the question 2 Feet 2 Bucks has answered with “Yes” dozens of times, where X = place worth going out of your way to, to take a walk, short...
We sat down a few months ago with one of the organizers of RI’s Deportation Defense Line. The Defense Line’s origins are organic and multifaceted. No one person is in charge of it. No one...
Artist of the Year: Favorite Song: Favorite Music Video: NOVA ONE; "chlorine" by NOVA ONE; "chlorine" - NOVA ONE (Dir. Frankie Ferrari) nova one: “nova won!” Providence’s own nova one won (!!) four 2026 Motif Music Awards: “artist...
Photo by Matthew Murphy. The North American tour of Disney’s The Lion King last played the Providence Performing Arts Center in 2017. After nearly ten years, The Lion King is back astounding Providence for a limited...
“Judge not, that ye be not judged” (Matthew 7:1). This is the core theme behind William Shakespeare's darkest comedy, Measure for Measure, one of Shakespeare’s most exciting, underperformed and underappreciated plays, currently presented by Burbage...
Smithfield, RI: A town known for its forests, trails, ponds, and well, wealth. An unlikely location for a potential AI-Data Center, one may think. Yet, this rural community, despite data center construction being illegal under...
There’s something oddly soothing about the harmonograph at the Rhode Island Museum of Science and Art (RIMOSA). For the uninitiated (which included me, until my visit), a harmonograph uses mechanical arms attached to pendulums to control the movements of a pen. You clamp the pen in place, swing the pendulums, drop pen to paper like […]
If you consistently take part in RI’s vibrant and eclectic culinary scene, you’ve probably noticed that over the years there has been a steady increase in plant-based food and eateries populating the landscape. I talked to a few of the area’s most notable vegan and vegetarian restauranteurs about the push toward a meatless existence. Karen […]
On September 28, WaterFire becomes a science timeline of sorts, celebrating everything from early humans’ ability to control fire to modern physics. The Big Bang Science Fair provides visitors with opportunities to stargaze, hang out at the intersection of art and science, code robots and generally explore how science impacts our everyday lives. Lecturers, including […]
Ever wanted to learn a second language, but didn’t know where to start? Ryan Dean, owner of LUMUKU, might have the answer. His playfully illustrated bilingual playing cards and matching games, called Half + Medio, give foreign language learners a simple, fun and whimsical way to pick up a few words. Dean spent five summers […]
Okee dokee folks…I have been so busy over the past couple of months that I almost forgot that I recently passed the 15 year mark writing for Motif! When I was asked to contribute to the fledgling magazine for their third issue, I was skeptical that it was something I could do. I wasn’t a […]
Another “Got Beer?!” column, and another new brewery has joined the 401 craft crew! The General’s Crossing Brewhouse, at 34 Narragansett Ave in the heart of Jamestown, opened on August 23 – it’s the 28th brewery in the Ocean State. And yep, that’s the same address as Conanicut Brewing, the home-brewing/wine-making supply shop run by […]
There’s no mistaking it; some RI public schools are at the pit of a crisis that might prove irreversible. On the hill, state leadership scrambles for resolution, bickering over details and debating the value of education as they clamber to regain control of a problem that should have been addressed a decade ago. But in […]
For this edition of Keep on Movin’, a rundown on some notable fall happenings. The cooler weather brings a lot of great things to do, and an excuse to get inside and avoid the dreaded EEE menace. Thu, Sep 19 | Ken Stringfellow @ Brown University’s Music Mansion Ken Stringfellow brings his solo tour to an […]
“Why not here? Why not now?” says Tiara Mack. “We are consistently waiting for the world to change for us and we are not being the people to put forth the action to let the world change.” Election Day 2020 is still 14 months away, but some candidates are already getting started. Reproductive justice activist […]
Providence dwellers Peyman Farzinpour and his wife Nara Shahbazyan are the quintessential 21st century musicians. In addition to managing very busy performing and teaching schedules, Farzinpour and Shahbazyan are the co-founders of ENSEMBLE/PARALLAX, a New England music ensemble now in its fifth season. In its first four seasons, ENSEMBLE/PARALLAX commissioned and premiered more than […]
