She came to the University of Iowa in 1957 for an MFA in printmaking. She and her former husband created and ran a unique store in downtown Iowa City. Things & Things & Things, for thirty-four years before closing it when they both became full time professional artists. When Marcia became friends with Lula Belle and was able to take close-up photographs of this beautiful wild raccoon, she decided to do a few pastel paintings of her. Then when Lula Belle brought her four babies to meet Marcia, she knew a book was emerging.