Meet Penelope Misa –– a devoted skier who embeds her love for adventure into her ”Cheeky Alpini” artwork. You’ve probably seen these iconic paintings of naked ladies skiing down the mountain and resonated with the free-spirited illustrations. From her reserved upbringing, to almost losing her life in an avalanche, we admire her story and how she turns her experiences into a powerful source of inspiration.
And, we love the cheeky alpini’s so much, we put them on a sock! Penelope Misa x Voltage
FROM TOKYO TO PARK CITY
Growing up in Tokyo, Penelope’s childhood was a mix of Japanese and Australian Cultures. Raised by a very white-collar, corporate father from Australia, and Japanese mother, she was trained to be seen not heard – which is a vast contrast to her husband’s affectionate Italian family. This cultural blend from her childhood deeply influenced her expression later as an artist.
As a teenager, she moved with her family Park City, where they opened a Ramen Shack on the mountain. She dreamed of becoming a professional soccer player and a doctor. However, after a knee injury, she shifted her focus to skiing and eventually dropped soccer altogether. Skiing has always been a huge part of Penelope’s life, and cutting out soccer enforced this passion even further.
A few years later, she found herself in college at the University of Utah studying art, and was pleasantly surprised to have full support from her family. Art school gave Penelope a solid foundation in the technical aspects of art, but she didn’t know how to start her business with her skills. It wasn’t until she started working for a jewelry booth at the SLC Farmers Market, where she found out how to run a business of her own one day. Six years of apprenticeship and experience for this small company showed her the back end of operating a business and prepared her for her own path even though she wasn’t aware of it at the time.
BURNING MAN
During her years at art school, Penelope flirted with the idea of attending Burning Man. It stemmed from some curiosity, but was largely due to the fact it kept popping up in her life. Right before her parents split up, her dad went to Burning Man and came back a different man. Once a white-collar guy, he started getting tattoos, had a free-spirit, and became the ultimate hippie. Penelope fought this resentment she felt towards him for the split, but eventually came to the realization that if she wants a relationship with her dad, she had to do something about it. So – Burning Man called, and Penelope picked up.
In 2016, she went to Burning Man and completely mended her relationship with her dad, and shifted her outlook on life, “You can be whatever you want, at any age.” Giving him that grace brought them closer.
One day at Burning Man, her crew all hopped in an old car and started their art crawl. They stopped at different projects and coasted around the desert, when she noticed Mandan. Wearing hot pink shorts, a scarf, and infinity glasses, she thought, “He’s different.” They continued to cross paths throughout the day, so Penelope decided to take action. As her friends are all packing in the car, she suddenly gets out and marches over to Mandan. With all eyes on her, Penelope goes up and gives him a hug, without saying a word. Then, she says, “Where are you from?” He replied with the coordinates of his camp at Burning Ham. She noticed his Australian accent and thought, “Of course, the prophesy continues.” They were together for four days, and the rest was history. After spending four years long-distance, they got married and now live in Big Cottonwood Canyon together.
THE CHEEKY ALPINI’S
Penelope’s art is made up of these cheeky alpini’s with bright colored boots, skiing down iconic mountains, and exuberating** a free-spirited energy. These ladies mean a lot to Penelope and reflect her growth from life’s crazy moments.
In 2014, Penelope faced a life-changing event – a near-fatal avalanche. Her and her partner at the time were backcountry skiing in some sketchy conditions when Penelope had a bad gut feeling. As they skied downhill, she triggered some hang flyer when her partner told her, “Move!” She couldn’t hear him, suddenly getting hit and carried 150 feet fully buried. After he dug her out, she was struggling to army crawl down the tree line, both of them continuing to sink. Her partner rushed to their emergency spot where he tried to bring a sled, which got buried, and eventually had to run home and get skis for her to clip in and get down the mountain. After hours of struggle*, she remembers going home and standing in the shower bawling her eyes out all night. It was insanely traumatic, yet her partner suggested they go back a couple days later. She didn’t speak up for herself, and went with him. Only a little way in, she started to hyperventilate and freak out. In this moment, she realized the relationship was not for her, and that she needed to start speaking up.
After a good year and a half break from skiing, she was able to find joy in it again on her own terms. Instead of being motivated by her competitive side, and skiing crazy terrain with the boys, she prioritized her own needs and desires on the mountain. In her own words, “No one f––––g cares how fast you’re bombing it down this hill.” And from this mentality transformation, the cheeky alpini’s were born.
These naked ladies were a way for Penelope to reconnect with her love for skiing after the avalanche. She started painting whimsical, adventurous characters that embodied the happiness and freedom she felt on the slopes.
Each piece in the series is a celebration of the skiing lifestyle, capturing the unique personalities and quirks of different ski destinations. From the bougie vibes of Aspen to the rugged charm of local mountains, Penelope's "Cheeky Alpinis" bring a sense of fun and nostalgia to the art world.
Shop Penelope's Cheeky Alpini's Now: Penelope Misa x Voltage
