Inside the Collaboration: Schoolhouse x Melissa Lakey

There’s something undeniably transportive about the quiet stillness, vibrant colors, and ever-changing light of the desert. For artist and filmmaker Melissa Lakey, moving to Joshua Tree sparked a creative reawakening that led her back to painting after a decade-long pause. Surrounded by wide open skies and the natural textures of the landscape, she began to translate her everyday experiences into layered, mixed-media pieces that reflect both the beauty of the desert and the joy of rediscovery.

Deeply influenced by the landscape around her, Melissa draws from the colors, textures, and quiet magic of the high desert to create layered, expressive works designed to capture more than just a view. Each mixed-media print in the collection—Desert Vista and Night Vista—is a love letter to the natural world, celebrating the light, life, and stillness of the desert with rich, joyful detail.

To learn more about her creative process, artistic journey, and what makes this collaboration so special, we sat down with Melissa to hear the story behind these prints, and the inspiration that brought them to life.

First off, can you tell us a little bit about your background with art and what led you to pursue it?

I grew up in the mountains in a small town where I spent a lot of time reading, drawing, and playing outside. I thought I’d pursue art as a career, but I got into filmmaking in my 20s and took a decade-long break from painting.

I started painting again when my husband and I moved to Joshua Tree several years ago. The wide open spaces, the expanse of the sky, the sunrises and sunsets—it felt like there was space in my life to explore art again.

Can you describe your creative process from the initial inspiration to the final piece?

In my studio, I’m inspired by a good creative mess. I like being surrounded by my sketchbooks, color swatches, previous paintings, reference books, and all my art supplies. I usually don’t plan paintings too much or sketch things out first as I like to leave room in each painting for surprises and exploration.

For these two prints, I knew I wanted to capture the feeling of the desert landscape, both the sunny days and the magical nights. Beginning with that feeling, I started with ink, watercolor, and gouache directly on paper to create the background. After the initial layers dried, I added the details of the plants and animals with oil pastels and colored pencils.

Can you share what drew you to desert landscapes as a subject in your artwork?

When we moved to Joshua Tree I was immediately inspired by the landscape. It felt so new to me after growing up in the mountains. I think everyone who visits the desert can feel its magic; that’s why so many artists, musicians, and writers end up out here.

These prints are a celebration of everything I love about the desert—the full moon on a warm summer night, the bright sunshine, the wildflowers, and the fascinating plants and animals that thrive here.

How does the environment around you, particularly the Joshua Tree area, influence the colors and textures you use in your prints?

When I was creating these pieces I was inspired by the different textures of the desert, the prickly plants, the rough rocks, and the soft sky.

I used colors that capture the way the desert feels to me; vibrant, magical, and joyful. I love to paint with the deep blue of night, and warm colors that feel like the sun on my skin; tangerine, vermillion, blush, and ochre.

Does texture play a role in your art? If so, how do you incorporate it into your prints?

I love working in mixed media and use a lot of different materials in each artwork. I usually work with a combination of gouache, ink, oil pastel, and colored pencils. One of my favorite things about working this way is the variety of textures I can create.

The Desert Vista and Night Vista prints are created from high-resolution scans of my paintings so all the original details, textures, and marks can be seen in each print.

What do you hope viewers take away from your prints once they bring them into their homes?

I hope when people hang these prints in their home, they’ll feel the joy I felt while making them, and fall in love with the desert the same way I have.