Billyjohn Rainbow

Indianapolis Business Journal
Pots of Color, Not Gold, for This Rainbow
September 7, 1981
By Chris Katterjohn
A Man with No Past Will tell You Tales of Life
Billy John Rainbow is a man without a past - at least one that he cares to talk about much. To him the past is just "extra baggage". And at 54, this artist is traveling light. Rainbow has few material possessions. What he has is time and talent and a desire to communicate with people.
His latest project can be found at the Cafe Heidelberg Bakery and Gift Shop, 7625 Pendleton Pike. In fact, his latest project is the cafe. Over the last one-and-a-half, two or three years (he doesn't seem to know exactly how long it's been), Rainbow has painted several interior doors of the cafe, the front facade and the entire expanse of the 10-foot-by-65-foot exterior west wall. The small mural on the front of the building depicts the Heidelberg Castle in Germany and the mural on the west side is filled with many different things, including landscapes, children, rivers and trees. His paintings depict happy bright, colorful scenes and as it turns out, that's part of the reason his name is now Rainbow. With a little Cherokee Indiana in his blood and a lot of Cherokee in his spirit, Rainbow tells the tale of how he changed his name from John William Higer. "Have you got 37 minutes?" he chortles. Though he shortened the story considerably, it is best left to in-person recital. True to his Indian heritage and nature, the artist lives on a spiritual level. When he discusses anything in depth, he does so with his eyes closed as if he were focusing in on concepts from a realm beyond.
For most of his large projects, Rainbow is given the freedom to pick the subject matter. But if a client has his own ideas, the artist is willing to negotiate. Rainbow explains, "I would rather leave the wall empty than trespass on somebody's dream." His latest project, the Heidelberg Cafe, was one which required some give-and-take. The cafe's proprietor, Juergen Jungbauer, first met the artist four years ago at Oktoberfest. He commissioned Rainbow to paint a 41-foor-by-five-foot mural as a backdrop for his "traveling" kitchen. Please with the results, he convinced Rainbow to work on his cafe. But the process has been a long one because this client, whose creativity can be seen in many of his super-extravagant cakes and pastries, had some ideas of his own. The two men worked together to determine the exact subject matter of the Heidelberg murals. There have been some volatile times. But the relationship, which has extended over four years now, has produced a mutual respect. Both men talk in wondrous terms about the genius and a talent of the other. Oftentimes, when he's not painting, says Jungbauer, Rainbow will sit at a table with coffee and chat with the clientele of the cafe. After 20 minutes of conversation, Rainbow will write a poem for the person.
The man is impossible to pinpoint. The reason, many believe, is that he is living a different reality.. in a Rainbow world. But the men for whom he has worked are impressed by his talent and his savvy. Jungbauer, who probably knows him as well as anyone can, is astounded by the artist. "He is just unbelievable," he says. "He could be a millionaire, but he won't. He is paint unless I feel it." Anything he does, he does from the heart. "He can make something out of nothing." It's been said that an artist's work will reveal more about his personality than his words ever could. Such is the case with Rainbow. Consider the following:
I once saw a feather without a bird.
It was the quietest thing I've never heard.
Billy John Rainbow

Indianapolis Business Journal
Pots of Color, Not Gold, for This Rainbow
September 7, 1981
By Chris Katterjohn
A Man with No Past Will tell You Tales of Life
Billy John Rainbow is a man without a past - at least one that he cares to talk about much. To him the past is just "extra baggage". And at 54, this artist is traveling light. Rainbow has few material possessions. What he has is time and talent and a desire to communicate with people.
His latest project can be found at the Cafe Heidelberg Bakery and Gift Shop, 7625 Pendleton Pike. In fact, his latest project is the cafe. Over the last one-and-a-half, two or three years (he doesn't seem to know exactly how long it's been), Rainbow has painted several interior doors of the cafe, the front facade and the entire expanse of the 10-foot-by-65-foot exterior west wall. The small... READ MORE →