Melissa Lakey is an artist based in Joshua Tree, California, where the windows of her art studio look out onto the Mojave Desert. She wanted to be a cowgirl when she grew up but became an artist instead, and now cowboys often ride through her paintings. Lakey works in mixed media, combining paint, collage, textiles, and more to create playful artwork that celebrates color, nostalgia, and joy. She has exhibited across the U.S. in group and solo shows.