Influential administrator, teacher and painter, with a special interest in portraiture, born in London, who studied at Regent Street Polytechnic and Royal College of Art, 1929–32, gaining the portrait prize in his final year. He early on showed sporting prowess, notably as a runner and long-distance cyclist. Exhibited at Goupil and Redfern Galleries in the 1930s. After teaching in several schools, including Taunton’s in Southampton, Daniels was on the staff of Southampton and Portsmouth Schools of Art; during World War II, as well as being head of painting at Leeds College of Art, he did commissioned work for the War Artists’ Advisory Committee; then in 1947 was appointed principal of Camberwell School of Art retiring in 1974. His predecessor William Johnstone had laid the foundations of an impressive staff, to which Daniels added, teachers during his time there, as its longest serving principal, including Edward Ardizzone, Martin Bloch, William Coldstream, Richard Eurich, Robert Medley, Victor Pasmore, Claude Rogers, Michael Rothenstein and Karel Vogel.

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Under Daniels’ civilised, calm direction, Camberwell was steered through major changes. He was elected president of the National Society for Art Education in 1965. After retirement, Daniels taught adult education classes in Kingston, before moving to Midhurst, Sussex. Died in Winchester, Hampshire, where there was an exhibition of work by him and his wife soon after in the cathedral. Imperial War Museum and Southampton City Art Gallery hold examples.

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Source: 'Artists in Britain Since 1945' by David Buckman