A Tribute to Melissa — Friend, Muse, and Believer in Possibility

I met Melissa Elliott in 2003 under the simplest yet most profound circumstances — I had pinned an advert at SOAS seeking someone to practise English with, and Melissa was looking for someone to practise Czech with. She was preparing for her PhD research in Ostrava, where she would spend a year living and working closely with Roma communities in the Czech Republic. We met, and immediately discovered how much we shared — music, art, curiosity, and a love of stories that connect people and cultures.

Melissa by Lukas Kroulik, 2003.

When I applied to the London College of Fashion in 2004, my portfolio was still very modest, but full of passion. Melissa modelled for me. I did the hair, makeup, styling, and photography — using my first Lancôme products with striking eyeshadow and lipstick. That portrait remains one of my favourites to this day. Melissa shared with me that her thirteen year old daughter is fascinated and inspired by that portrait.

Melissa listened as I told her about my upbringing in Eastern Bohemia — about my parents, my family, and the small Roma community who were part of our neighbourhood. She became more than a language partner — she became a friend, a muse, and an unwavering supporter of my creativity.

Lukas Kroulik (centre) at a local primary school in the late 80's Eastern Bohemia, Czech Republic.

A year later, she asked me to photograph her wedding to her wonderful husband, Duncan. The celebration in Peterborough was full of joy and connection — and one moment I’ll never forget. I met a group of Melissa’s Roma friends, who turned out to be from Náchod, my own birthplace in Eastern Bohemia. As we were chatting and dancing, the mother of one of the young women looked at me and said, “I think I know your father. Did he work for the mayor’s office in Náchod?” And I said, “Yes!”

It was one of those small yet profound moments that remind us how life and conversation can weave unexpected threads across time and place.

Dominic, Melissa and Lukas at Melissa and Duncan's wedding, Peterborough, 2004, (L - R).

There’s a photograph of Melissa and me from that day — her eyes are closed, and the image feels even more moving now. It reminds me of the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by my friend Rob Munday, whose holographic artwork Equanimity is now a permanent exhibit at The King’s Gallery.

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Melissa - Chelsea Arts Club 2023

The last time I saw Melissa was in 2023, when she came to London for the Chelsea Arts Club Summer Exhibition to see my artwork Carbon — a work exploring resourcefulness and climate change awareness. She brought her son and said with a smile, “If only I had a wall big enough, I’d love to have this.”

Melissa and I shared so much — conversations, creative dreams, a love of learning, and a faith in people. She believed in kindness, in culture, and in connection.

I will miss her deeply, but she will always remind me that friendship, curiosity, and compassion are what truly sustain us.

Petr Torak MBE, Lukas and Jakub Kroulik, donating artworks to COMPAS Charity in Peterborough, 2025.

Later, I decided to donate Carbon to COMPAS Charity in Peterborough, led by Petr Torak MBE, its inspiring CEO. I met Petr at the Czech Embassy in London and have admired his remarkable work supporting Roma communities and promoting inclusion. Given Melissa’s lifelong commitment to Roma studies and advocacy, it felt only right that Carbon should find its home there — where art continues to foster understanding and care.