Janet Ament De La Roche (Mrs. Victor DiGesu) was born in Hollywood, California in 1916.

Her father was a prominent businessman in Southern California, having owned the Superior Mexican Food Company. At the outset of World War II she joined the Marines to break away from her family. She wanted to be an artist. Her family wanted her to be a secretary. She was also an avid flamenco dancer, a hobby she continued most of her life.

She was called by many of her fellow Peninsula artists one of the "last Bohemians". She and her husband were longtime contributors to the Monterey Peninsula art community.

She studied art at the Chouinard Art Institute, the Los Angeles Art Center and the Otis Art Institute. After meeting Victor DiGesu (also an artist), in the early 1950's, she moved north to the Monterey Peninsula. They settled in the Forest Hill area, where she lived until her death in 2000.

During the mid 1950's she and her husband toured and studied extensively in Europe. While there she studied at the Academie de la Grande Chaumiere in Paris, Academie de Andre L'Hote in Paris, Academia Di Bell Arte in Rome, and the Academie des Belles Artes de San Jorge in Barcelona Spain. She also studied privately under prominent artist, Ejnar Hansen. Also with Earl Kerkam, Yves Brayer, Jean Aujame, Edouard Goerg, F.Tolles Chamberlain and George Stanley.

Being a long time member of the Carmel Art Association, she exhibited there frequently. One of her works was included in their very exclusive 75th Anniversary Exhibit in 2002. Her work was also included in the Legacy Exhibit "A Salute to 14 Major Artists" at the Pacific Grove Art Center and was shown at the San Franciso Museum of Art. She exhibited in Europe at the Salon D'Automne, the Exposition des Arts Decoratif, the Gallerie Charpentier in Paris, the Exposition des Americains a Paris, and the Prix d'Othon Friez at the Louvre Museum in Paris.

Ament De La Roche was featured in the film,” Longtimers II”, Senior Artists of the Monterey Peninsula, along with Anne Spencer, Eve Tartar, Hank Ketcham, Joe Nordman and John Cunningham.

Sources include:
Ingeborg Boal, Fine Art Dealer
The Carmel Art Association