Thom is the original Rainbow Man, one of America’s greatest water color artists. In the late 1960’s he began to paint rainbows “the visual word of God” as pocket art. He painted little two inch square watercolors, popped them in his pocket, then walked around and gave them away to anyone he met. He brought smiles to millions of people through his work.

He painted rainbows, over and over and over. He has painted millions of rainbows. This man was obsessed with the spectrum. He laid them out on cards and posters, curved them into mandalas, over poems; they are all over his clothes and even in his laugh.

From his appearance – attired in flowing, bright colored, baggy glad rags, silver star and half-moon in his ear, rainbow hat or silk bandana on his head – it was not hard to see why he was known as the Rainbow Man. Behind a crack in his gold wire-frame glasses, his eyes twinkle, clear and jovial. He smiles and laughs a lot, revealing, what else, but a rainbow tattoo on his front tooth!
~ Michael Kennedy

Born in Ohio, Thom Klika studied at the Cleveland Art Institute and later at the San Francisco Art Institute. Known throughout the Northeast as the Rainbow Man, Thom Klika has spent his life reproducing the magic of rainbows – in paintings, glass, jewelry, and as a design motif on clothes and furnishings. Thom also authored books on Rainbows in which have been described as:

“Only The Rainbow Man could truly capture the joyous beauty of a multitude of rainbows. 10,000 Rainbows enjoys this celebration of a myriad of magical iridescent arcs.”

“An eye-catching assortment of colorful designs…an item for the art collection.”
~ Library Journal

“A lushly colorful book…expressive illustrations…vivid text…a high-spirited graphic celebration of rainbow magic”
~ Sacramento Magazine

Thom and his wife Mary, also known as Lady Rainbow, owned and operated The Rainbow Shop in a converted Reformed Church parsonage in Woodstock, NY as well as Provincetown, MA, Dayton, OH and other cities.. Artwork, creativity, poetry and rainbow laughter was a way of life for the two of them.