Thornton Dial Jr. (born 1952) is a contemporary African-American painter, sculptor, and assemblage artist living and working in Bessemer, Alabama.
He is the eldest son of prolific modern artist, Thornton Dial Sr. His work is best identified by its bold, evocative political and social commentary.
After high school, Dial worked for a construction company in the Bluff Park area of Birmingham, roughly twelve miles away from Bessemer.
In his piece The President And His Staff Trying To Decide What To Do About Children On Drugs, Dial paints a frog sunbathing atop a pile of rocks while tadpoles writhe on the river bank, "holding nothing back with his searing commentary.
[2] Many scholars have also noted Dial's affinity for pattern and repetitive motifs, such as the American flag, dots, stars, stripes, daisies and other flowers.
Common industrial materials such as oil-based paint, Bondo, enamel, sealant, corrugated tin and plywood are the basis of most of Dial's work.