Carl 'Sonny' Partlow, Jr. & Lucy Johnson Partlow
1st Generation Partlow Artists
My parents were talented artists born Black in the late 1930s in the U.S. with no family models for becoming a successful, financially sustained working artist in America. So, they did the next best thing: they got good government jobs with good benefits while pouring all of their artistic sensibilities and aspirations into me.
My father was an expert on human anatomy; a master carpenter and draftsman; an unlicensed architect who could build anything; and a mathematician. He could sing, too. He taught me how to draw when I was four years old. First, still life objects, then faces, bodies, and later buildings and graphic lettering.
My mother was a fashionista, culinary artist, floral designer with an incredible eye for composition, and owner of Partlow's Petals. They loved quality work. And they are still teaching me from the ancestral realm in their patient, loving way. My parents departed this world in 2000. I know they are laughing with great pride over their artmaking progeny.
Lenett Partlow-Myrick, 2nd gen Partlow Artist
Baltimore native Lenett Partlow-Myrick aka Mama Nef is an educator, leader, and transdisciplinary artist working across multiple art forms. She creates and curates projects for exhibitions, publications, the stage, small screen, and public forums. Her work is deeply rooted in her experience as an African descendant female living on occupied Native land in the U.S. Her visual art can be seen year-round at Hamilton Gallery in Baltimore City. Most recently, she wrote and produced her first video documentary, “Making Our Spaces Sacred.” She teaches literature and writing courses and is currently completing a Ph.D. in Transdisciplinary Leadership, Creativity, and Sustainability.
Imani Muleyyar, 3rd gen Partlow Artist
Imani Muleyyar is an Emmy award-winning multimedia storyteller, educator, and black arts advocate. His art career began while growing up in Baltimore's Pan-African movement of the 1980s-90s. He gained notoriety for producing socially conscious music for himself and with many Afrocentric arts collectives in the city. This led Imani to pursue a profession in audio engineering, studying at American University. He then went on to own and operate multiple recording studios, consecutively landing production deals with record labels over the course of five years.; a precise sign-maker; and a mathemetician. Imani returned to his hometown in 2022 to launch his new project, Imani Network, using all his acquired experience to empower the local black arts community. Read more>
Lotus Marie Partlow, 4th gen Partlow Artist
While we wait for Lotus to give us her bio--because teenagers want to speak for themselves--we want you to know that she has her great-grandfather Sonny's gift for drawing, especially faces, coupled with her distinct artistic brilliance. She's an honor roll junior in high school with a promising career in the arts and any traditional academic field she chooses. Here are a few of her creations.
