A Hidden Gem at Puzzle Warehouse

If you love puzzling for the artwork, I need to share with you this hidden gem within Puzzle Warehouse. Goodway Puzzles... you’ve probably seen this brand around on the Puzzle Warehouse website. When I first find a brand I’m interested in, I always do a little research and could never find much about the brand. Many of their images have caught my interest, but to be honest, I didn’t make a purchase until after my conversation with Susan Way. If you're not familiar, Susan is one of the owners of Puzzle Warehouse, and I had the pleasure of meeting her in person at the National Jigsaw Puzzle Championships earlier this year. As a PW ambassador, I was excited to finally meet her, especially after having exchanged emails with her for the past couple of years. 

One of the highlights of the event was when Susan and I sat down, and she shared all about the up-and-coming puzzle artists she had been working with. She showed me a slideshow featuring artwork from around 20 different artists. Through our conversation, I learned so much about the world of licensing, puzzle art, and manufacturers. One key takeaway was discovering that Goodway is Puzzle Warehouse’s in-house brand. While they don’t have their own manufacturing facility, they hold licensing rights to artwork under the Goodway brand. This allows them to feature unique puzzles by emerging artists—many of which you can’t find anywhere else.  When an artist's artwork is produced as a GoodWay puzzle and sold at Puzzle Warehouse, it can lead to opportunities for the artist to license their artwork to larger brands.

Recently, Goodway came out with several new collections. I was able to see these images within the slideshow Susan showed me back in March. It was so exciting to FINALLY get my hands on them and do these puzzles. Now, I get to share them with you. 

Florida artist Dawn Allen has a stunning collection of mermaid-themed puzzles, which you can explore here. The image above is a collage of the four puzzles in the series. I puzzled Miss Sunshine which was a perfect challenge, and I enjoyed every moment working on it. After finishing, I just sat there for several minutes, taking in the colors and the artwork.

Now, I’m someone who very rarely glues or keeps my puzzles together for more than a few minutes, but with this one, I’m actually tempted to preserve it. The artwork is so captivating, it would make a beautiful piece to display. It truly felt like I was completing a work of art.

Lily, also part of the collection, is really calling to me. I love the shades of blue and the fact that it's a bit larger at 500 pieces. While it might seem like there’s a lot of blue at first glance, I see a beautiful range of gradients within the colors. The textures in the puzzle design also make it feel like a very approachable challenge, and I think it would be a lot of fun to work on.

Back in March when I heard about this next collection, I was instantly drawn to it. The collection is titled, “The Breaking” by artist Madeline Barry. I think it is best if I use the caption by the artist to describe this collection. “In this collection, I’ve explored the themes of heartbreak and disappointment as it relates to the female experience of betrayal. I have layered vibrant abstract backgrounds with bold figures and portraits to reflect the chaos and paradox of emotions and thoughts that swirl through our beings as we experience such a life changing event.  The raw marks and unfinished style of the drawings mirror the raw states of our hearts when we experience hard things.  Things change us.  We have such little control over what happens to us, but we have all the power in the world to determine how those things shape us,”

I’ve completed two puzzles from this 6 piece collection, and I love that they partnered with MasterPieces for manufacturing the series. The linen and matte pieces really enhance the colors, making the entire experience enjoyable. Allow Yourself Space features vibrant colors but also presents a peaceful, minimalist scene that evokes a sense of calm and reflection. The simplicity of the composition highlights solitude, inviting the viewer to contemplate the idea of giving oneself space for personal growth or relaxation.

It’s also worth noting that a portion of the proceeds from this collection of 6 puzzles is donated to the Guest House Project, a nonprofit in Atlanta that exists to come alongside women who are walking through the pain of sexual and relational betrayal. It’s a meaningful cause that adds an extra layer of depth to these beautiful puzzles.

Do you enjoy abstract artwork? If so, you'll love the pieces by Georgia artist, Winston Wiant. Her puzzle A Girl and Her Hat is absolutely stunning. I’m drawn to the blocks of color and how the image is both vibrant and captivating. The bold colors, soft gradients, and subtle textures really bring the artwork to life, making it so engaging to look at.

Honestly, I’m torn between this one and Sitting Pretty - both are equally inviting. I could easily see either of them in a museum or displayed on a wall as a piece of décor.

The final artist I want to highlight is Peggy Collins, a talented digital artist with an incredible collection of mesmerizing artwork on her Instagram. I’ve had my eye on so many of her puzzles, as I absolutely love vibrant, brightly colored illustrations—and, of course, cats! Peggy’s style is incredibly distinct, with captivating colors and a beautiful mix of textures and patterns.

One I love is Quilted Tabby Cat. What makes this puzzle so unique is the quilted pattern woven throughout the design, giving the image a cozy, homey feel. The kitten is utterly adorable, and the overall scene is heartwarming. Some of her art pieces have a stained glass quality, while others feature a quilted texture that adds depth and interest. I can’t help but wish I had even a fraction of her artistic talent.  

Peggy's work is now appearing in many other brands, like Heritage, SunsOut, and MasterPieces...all because she was introduced to the puzzle community by GoodWay Puzzles and now to other brands through GoodWay Licensing.

These are just a few of the incredible artists whose puzzles are featured by Goodway. I love the diversity of styles and collections within the brand, and I truly appreciate that each puzzle feels like a piece of art. This is a brand I was initially hesitant to try because I didn’t know much about it, but now I’m always excited to see what new collections they’ll be launching. Goodway partners with several different manufacturers depending on the collection, including Sunsout, MasterPieces, and Portland Puzzle Company. However, for me, the main draw is always the artwork itself—I buy these puzzles because of the stunning images.

I’d love to hear which Goodway artist has caught your eye! Feel free to share in the comments below! I hope this blog has been helpful if you’ve ever been curious about the brand.

Thanks for reading, and happy puzzling!

 Emilee @thecasualpuzzler