We're thrilled to welcome Tug Rice to the New York Puzzle Company family. A New York City-based illustrator known for his elegant, character-driven work, Tug has collaborated with iconic brands like Dior, The Ritz London, and The Carlyle Hotel, and his illustrations have appeared in Harper's Bazaar, Veranda, and beyond. Now, his distinctive style comes to life in six brand-new New York Puzzle Company puzzles.
1. Tell us a little about yourself and your artwork. Who is Tug Rice?
I’m an illustrator based in New York. My work is narrative and tends to center around people, often capturing a “lights up” moment that’s open to interpretation. Part of the fun is guessing what happened before this image, and what’s about to happen. The scenes really do take on a life of their own.
2. You came to illustration via the stage — you studied at Carnegie Mellon's School of Drama. How does a background in performance shape the way you build a scene?
That training and those experiences helped hone a sense of active storytelling. I want each image to feel alive, as though something is unfolding. I love blurring the line between performance and picture. I wear many hats during the process of constructing a scene: playwright, director, casting director, and designer of sets, costumes, and lighting. Each piece becomes its own small play.
3. Your work has such an effortless balance of wit, charm, and warmth. Which artists or eras have meant the most to you?
The early illustrations of The New Yorker are influential to me and, I think, to a lot of illustrators. They were so good at combining a kind of blasé New York attitude with optimism. Speaking of optimism, a lot of the interwar illustrators resonate with me, too. I appreciate their sense of morale. They shined light in dark times.
4. When you sit down to draw, do you already know where you're headed — or do you let it wander a little? Has a piece ever surprised you mid-way through?
Usually, I have an idea, but it's not fully formed. Only once I really get in there does it start to come to life. I’m constantly surprised. Sometimes, a daytime scene will turn into nighttime, or a new character will appear who, much like a character in a play, shifts the entire dynamic. It’s very fun as it unfolds!
5. Before this collaboration, had puzzles been part of your world? Which piece from your collection are you most excited to put together yourself?
I used to find puzzles a little intimidating, but it turns out I love them. They’re so addicting. I love how time passes when you’re in the zone. It can be very meditative and somehow energizing at the same time.
6. When you first saw one of your illustrations broken into puzzle pieces — and then watched someone build it back — did anything about your own work reveal itself that you hadn't seen before?
It struck me how every piece is its own moment. You could make a miniature illustration out of just one or two. Sometimes when I’m working, I think of certain elements in a scene as “background” material. But even those trees in the distance, or those faraway characters whose faces are less detailed, tell a story. Seeing everything in puzzle form made me appreciate that.
7. Puzzling means sitting with an image for hours. When someone spends that kind of time inside one of your scenes, what do you hope stays with them after the last piece clicks into place?
I hope they enjoy the openness of the story. I hope that, while they’re putting together the puzzle, they make an opinion about the characters and create their own little backstories about them. The puzzles are really an invitation to step into the narrative and participate in it.
8. What are you looking forward to in 2026? Any projects, ideas, or directions you're excited to explore?
I’m working on a few residential murals, which I’m excited about, and continuing collaborations with some of my favorite clients here in New York and abroad. And there may be a few theatrical projects on the horizon as well.
You can follow Tug Rice on Instagram or see more of his work on his website.
