Thornton Dial Sr. attended school through the fourth grade and is married with five children. Dial worked for the Pullman Standard Company for thirty years. He did iron work, cement work, a jack-of-all- trades. Bill Arnett learned of his art through self taught artist, Lonnie Holley and brought attention of Dial's work to the art world in 1987. Before that time, his wife, Clara Mae, would make him bury his "junk."
Thornton Dial, sometimes called Buck Dial, created sculptural objects, large assemblages using found objects. He also uses pastels and paints on small to large sized artist papers supplied by Arnett. Dial has deep convictions concerning racial, religious, political, and social valves which he expresses brilliantly in his work. Thornton has had one man shows in New York City and Houston. He is recognized as one of the greatest living self-taught artists in the United States.
Not long ago, Dial was unaware of the formal meaning of art; yet, he recently stated in an interview, "Art ain't about paint. It ain't about canvas. It's about ideas. I have found how to get my ideas out and I won't stop. I got ten thousand left."
