Daniel Turner was born in Rochdale. His work examines the act of painting, the rituals of the painter and the functions of the painting and the studio.

In 2011 he obtained a BA (Hons) in Fine Art from University College Falmouth. His work has been widely shown in Cornwall, elsewhere in the UK, and in France. In 2025 he became a regular exhibitor at Circle Contemporary, at Hawksfield, Wadebridge.

Turner is a tutor at the Newlyn School of Art.