Nancy Newman Rice was born in New York City and was educated at Cornell University and Washington University, where she earned a BFA with honors and an MFA. She has received numerous awards including a National Endowment/MMA Fellowship for Painting. Rice has exhibited her works nationally and has had solo exhibits in a number of galleries and museums. Her work is included in public and private collections in the U.S. and abroad. She is represented by the Duane Reed Gallery in St. Louis, MO.

In addition to painting, Rice has written feature articles for American Craft Magazine and Fiber Arts magazine, as well as art criticism for the St. Louis Post Dispatch and the New Art Examiner. Rice has retired from Maryville University in St. Louis, MO, where she was the Eleanor Lawler Pillsbury Chair of Art and served as Director of Studio Art.