Best known for his colorful, small-scale impressions in oil of the Monterey Peninsula, Albert DeRome received his training in art at the Mark Hopkins Institute (now the San Francisco Art Institute) between 1904 and 1906 under Arthur Mathews and Lorenzo Latimer. Upon graduating, DeRome was able to combine his artistic talent and business sense in a career in advertising and marketing. His occupation required that he travel throughout the West, and these trips doubled as painting excursions for DeRome, who would explore each locale with his artists’ materials in tow. Among his sketching partners and comrades were William Keith, Percy Gray, Will Sparks, and in particular the Swedish watercolorist Gunnar Widforss, with whom he shared a close lifetime association and a mutual artistic influence.

In 1931 and at the height of his success, an automobile accident left DeRome partially paralyzed, thus ending his career in business. The conditions of his insurance stipend dictated that he no longer sell his paintings nor exhibit as a “professional” artist. He began his recuperation in Pacific Grove on the Monterey peninsula, and was unable to resist painting the rustic charm of the coastal area in spite of his injuries, as he proceeded to sketch and paint from the sand dunes surrounding his home while recovering the ability to walk. DeRome continued to exhibit and won various prestigious awards despite the restrictions.

Many of DeRome’s most notable works were produced during this significant period in his artistic development, following the accident. Neighbors and renowned local artists frequently visited the home of the DeRomes in Pacific Grove to admire his work, and he would list their names on the reverse of his canvases, sometimes with their notes or comments. Among his visitors was Brother Cornelius, whose acclaimed monograph on William Keith includes a praise of DeRome: "He is a first-rate artist; in fact, one of California’s best though that is not generally known, for he paints not for the public but for himself and his friends." Today Albert DeRome is regarded highly among the California Impressionists, and his views of sand dunes dusted with wildflowers, billowing clouds, weathered fishing boats, and rocky shores continue to charm viewers, speaking softly of the unique splendor of the Pacific Coast.

Member : Carmel Art Association; California College of Arts and Crafts (trustee).

Exhibited : California State Fairs, Sacramento; Monterey County Fairs; Santa Cruz Art League; UC Santa Cruz, 1985; Gump’s, 1986, 1987 (solo); Carmel Art Association, 1987.

Sources : Walter Nelson-Rees, Albert Thomas DeRome, WIM Fine Arts, 1988; Hughes, Artists of California, 144.