Thornton Dial Is Not an Outsider Artist

Alabama artist Thornton Dial was making metal sculpture and yard art for decades before he was discovered by a prominent collector at age sixty. Today he’s 82 and the Indianapolis Museum of Art is exhibiting a survey of his art called, “Hard Truths.” Despite national acclaim, Dial still flies under the radar in his home state. We sent Gigi Douban to Bessemer, Alabama, to find out why.
  
  
  
  
  
  
Slideshow: Thornton Dial’s art