Melissa Lakey is an artist and illustrator 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 ride through her paintings, picking flowers and stopping to swim in every creek they pass. She loves to work in mixed media, combining organic textures, fun colors, and playful subject matter to create artwork that celebrates the magic of the American Southwest, as well as a love of travel, nature, road trips, and swimming. Melissa has exhibited across the US in mixed and solo shows and has worked with clients that include the LA Times, Compendium Live Inspired, and Schoolhouse.