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...
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...
This is the story of visiting Providence’s newest Rotisserie and Bistro, Thermia, and being so intrigued by its menu and feeling so welcomed by the staff, that I went twice in one week! To give...
Check out extensive listings for every show we could find this season. But some are bigger or just fundamentally represent summer in our eclectic, hyperactive, tiny-yet-overachieving state. Here’s a selection of special events to keep...
“Industry wants us to believe the sky will fall if there’s reform," said Council President Rachel Miller. "But for working families, the sky is already falling..." Council President Rachel Miller (Ward 13) “In front of you is...
The eggplant piece featured on the cover of Motif is the first completed work in Chenlu Hou’s Garden series, making it a perfect fit for this issue’s theme of Summer. A low-fire terracotta sculpture, airbrushed and...
[See prior update: motifri.com/iran-war-update-01] The Iran war cannot continue as it is for much longer, and this is a result of simple math. Time is running out for energy and food supply US Consumer Price Index for All...
Voting is now closed -- Join us to see who was selected Wednesday, May 276 – 10pmMyrtle, East Providence Join us for the 4th annual Motif Spoken Awards! We are excited to be returning to Myrtle to celebrate RI’s spoken word...
Ann Morrison and Marcus Phillips in the National Tour of KIMBERLY AKIMBO. Photo by Joan Marcus KIMBERLY AKIMBO is a musical with a lot of heart, a lot of wit, and a lot of rave reviews...
Processed with VSCO with 6 preset When Steve DelMonico (vocals/guitar) approached John Faraone (drums) with an impossibly unique band name, there was no way of knowing that 10 years later they’d be sitting at Nolan’s with...
Photo: Dave Rezendes. John Faraone: a man of many bands, many instruments, and one poetic voice. While John wouldn’t call himself a poet, I certainly believe that his lyrics are simply stanzas waiting to be printed....
Photo by James Brooks. Okee dokee folks… I have referenced the Jethro Tull song, “Too Old to Rock & Roll, Too Young to Die,” A few times in my 22 years of writing for Motif, and...
(Photo credit: Keith J.G. McCurdy, from the cover art of Vudu Sister’s Adynata; photograph of the art installation LO SGUARDO - Humanitas - Physis by sculptor Igor Mitoraj at the Neopolis Archaeological Park of Siracusa...
Mount Pleasant. Elmhurst. The Valley Arts District. These are all neighborhoods whose offerings I thought I knew well, having worked in and around Providence over the last few years. But you can certainly miss a...
Buddy Mott. 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...
The actual declaration of Independence was first proclaimed to the people of Newport from this building in July 1776. (Photo by Maureen O'Gorman) It doesn't take long for a person new to Rhode Island to find...
The RI Department of Transportation (RIDOT) announced a major initiative to repair potholes caused by a harsh winter. A new Pothole Service Requests Dashboard site on the web – https://www.dot.ri.gov/travel/potholes.php – allows the public to...
When I went gluten free 15 years ago, it was nearly impossible to shop at grocery stores, eat safely at restaurants or sustain life while traveling. Today, gluten-free options are popping up in supermarkets, at convenience stores and even at pizza and pasta restaurants. But why are so many people jumping on the bandwagon? If […]
As James Comey sat down to testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee, transiting Sun at 17 degrees of Gemini activated Donald Trump’s lucky trine between Uranus and Jupiter. The big question these days is: Will his luck hold? A look at Donald Trump’s Solar Return chart set for June 13, when the Sun returns to […]
Throughout its history, Pawtucket has been home to plenty of small, close-knit communities. Tucked away in a quiet corner of the city is a little-known one. Masjid Al-Rahman is one of Lil Rhody’s Islamic mosques, and on May 20, it, along with a few others, hosted local residents at an open house. The public was invited […]
“If you’re like, ‘Lady, I don’t want to go into downward dog, I want to pet a goat,’ that’s fine. That’s what you’re here for.” Marilva Wedge, owner of Open Doors Yoga in Taunton, knows her audience. Right now, her audience is 30 people who paid $30 each to travel to Taunton’s Pine Hill Farm […]
Aries: You kick off the summer with a lot of soul searching, figuring out what’s important to you and where you’re coming from. You may seek professional help, counselling or simply a conversation with a learned friend. Wisdom arrives from a faraway place. Keep an open mind. Taurus: You bubble over with new ideas as your […]
Sheyla (Shey) Rivera Rios was born in Puerto Rico. Leaving her homeland some seven years ago, she landed in Providence at the advice of a mentor. With a new role as artistic director at AS220, her creative passion is as deep as her Caribbean roots. Bienvenido! Fantasy island is a combination of works by Shey Rivera […]
Avocado toast recently became political when real estate mogul Tim Gurner suggested that millennials would be able to buy homes if they’d just lay off the avocado toast. We talked to Jordan Boslego of Sydney Providence about this issue because avocado toast is kind of their thing. Motif: Your avocado toast is a pretty popular […]
It doesn’t matter how ugly your tomato is. That tomato is yours, and you grew it from an upside down soda bottle hanging off a fire escape. We all want to feel the sense of personal accomplishment that swells inside us when we’ve successfully kept a thing alive. But sometimes, situations like living in an […]
Ever see the array of spiralized veggie noodles in the produce section of the grocery store? You’re attracted, but don’t know what to do with them. Delicious, healthy and gluten-free, these veggie noodles are versatile and easy to prepare. Beets: Roast the beet noodles in the oven at 425 degrees for 5 to 10 minutes. You […]
The time, it flies! On June 28, 2016, Governor Gina Raimondo signed House Bill 8100 Substitute B and Senate Bill 3053 Substitute A, which allowed breweries to sell 288 ounces of beer for off-premise consumption (in any combo of growlers, bottles, and cans – a significant increase from the former 72-ounce limit) and serve 36 […]
