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...
Most of us have made the choice to cut back on drinking for the New Year or not drink the month of January (“dry January”) at some point in our lives. If you are planning on this, I am here to help you decide how to end 2024 making your last delicious decisions. Are you […]
The growing movement of sobriety in both Millennials and Gen-Z raises the question: what do you have to offer to your sober companions this holiday season? Most holiday celebrations center around signature cocktails or wine with soda or juice – often intended for children – as the only alternative. However, if all we offer is […]
Who doesn’t love the classic hot toddy cocktail? First introduced so long ago that its origins are shared at bars like ghost stories around a campfire, the hot toddy now sits comfortably in our hands on cold days or after enduring the ever-changing New England weather. This Indian-inspired take on the toddy offers a new […]
We’ve all got our favorite Christmas songs, least favorites, and everything in between. The only issue is we seem to be force-fed the same 20 or so songs every holiday season, limiting one’s potential for discovering new music. Hopefully at least one of these new picks will be able to expand your Christmas music taste […]
There’s a little something for everyone to be found in this year’s releases from local RI artists. From dancing in your kitchen, to moshing in your basement, to driving down 95 at a very comfortable pace, our playlist of new, local releases should have you covered to match any situation you may find yourself in. […]
Okee dokee folks … I wrote the previous issue’s column before the United States had its recent IQ test. Well, we failed. The dumbing down of America is complete. Ignorant, racist, bigoted, misogynistic, homophobic, xenophobic, and gullible people have once again hired the most unqualified, vile, criminal, racist, sexually predatory, narcissistic, sociopathic, traitorous “person” to […]
Raised by a pair of 1980s RISD graduates and toy designers in Connecticut, Kira Melville has embraced her creative engineering skills for as long as she can remember. Melville spent her childhood exploring the possibilities of artistic expression before heading to Carnegie Mellon in 2014. While in college, Kira noticed a distinct issue amongst her […]
As the holiday season approaches, it’s common for families to come together. Some will gather with their family of origin, some with step-families, godparents, or in polyamorous units, and many from marginalized groups including veteran, patient, queer, trans, and nonbinary communities, will gather with found and chosen families. Ants in the city too, of course, […]
On November 5, throughout neighborhoods, apartment complexes, car radios, bars and restaurants, the nation’s eyes and ears were focused on two things: their political party, and the election results. Hopeful Democrats watched with growing disbelief as all the swing states started leaning right, counties turning shades of deep and light red like blossoming ticks. On […]
Despite the recently warmer-than-expected autumn temperatures, we are all aware of the impending December cold that is slated to come upon us in just a few weeks. As the seasonal depressive disorder starts to make its rounds, it is essential that we maintain as many healthy habits as possible. One of the most effective ways […]
