Lois Marx was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and raised in the community of Shaker Heights, in a house overlooking a lake. In Cleveland, she studied at the Cleveland Art Institute. When her family moved to Los Angeles, California, Lois resumed her art studies at Chouinard Art Institute. Later, after World War II, she became an interior decorator, having a successful career lasting twenty-seven years.
After retiring from decorating, Lois went back to her first interest, drawing and painting. She began combining her knowledge of interiors with color combinations in her work. She also drew inspiration from her love of flowers and country scenes which she remembered from her childhood in Cleveland (Shaker Heights), and which greatly influenced her choice of subject matter. | 
