A man with tattoos and a beard leaning against a large tree, with leafless branches and some greenery in the background.

Biography

Adam Romano is a gothic fine artist, Curator, and retired tattooist.

In addition to presenting his work at galleries, He paints live Gothic portraits for sitters at art Markets in CHattanooga, TN.

Extended Bio at link below.

Artist Statement

I am researching hate, intense acts of violence, societal hierarchy, & the human condition (and how this relates to American History) through ink and paint.

I deal with representational subject matter as I dissect form, texture, and space.

Extended Artist Statement below.

  • Adam Romano is a gothic fine artist, curator, and retired tattooist that has been working since 2007. He was born in Chicago, IL and raised in the carnival business.

    After high school, Adam became a tattooist after completing a traditional apprenticeship. He traveled the United States and abroad to develop as an artist, owned a studio, and researched the history of tattoo.

    He has won over 25 awards for fine art & tattooing, been published nationally and internationally in multi-artist collection books and magazines, featured in museums, and a book of his tattoo flash was published through Kingpin Tattoo Supply.

    Adam retired from tattooing in 2022 to focus on fine art, curation, and raising a family. Adam received a B.A. in Art with Honors from Arizona State University in 2024

    Adam’s fine art has been featured in over 30 art exhibitions.

    In 2025, he has shown work at Association of Visual Arts (AVA), ClearStory, Wanderlinger Gallery, St. Andrew’s Center, The Business Incubator, and ArtsBuild in Chattanooga, TN. Adam submitted permanent work in the artist sketchbook library at StoveWorks in Chattanooga, TN, sold a painting at the 2025 Hart Gallery Gala (Chattanooga) in their silent auction, was chosen as an "Emerging Artist" in the Dogwood Arts Emerging Artist Program (Knoxville), and was chosen as a participating artist for the Breakthrough Gala to benefit the McNabb Center in Chattanooga, TN. His work was included in Petit Masterpiece at Ahmad Shariff Gallery in Claremont, CA.

  • I work to explore the relationship between death and life.

    Low-brow and craft-based artwork were my first introductions to the art world. I spent 15 years as a tattooist and studio owner, working on illustrations in watercolor and paint as well as tattooing clients.

    The artistic development of my technique led me to shift focus into fine art.

    In my work, I use macabre and gothic subjects that reflect a dark, surrealistic aesthetic.

    I am researching hate, intense acts of violence, societal hierarchy, & the human condition (and how this relates to American History) through transparent and abstract application of ink and paint around representational subject matter as I dissect form, texture, and space.