Daniel Stewart was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio, receiving his BFA in 1985 from the Ohio State University. His concentration was Painting and Drawing, with a minor in Film. In 1990, he received his MFA from Eastern Michigan University, with a concentration in Painting.

He began teaching at EMU in 1989, while still in the masters program, and continued there after graduation. In 1990, he also began teaching art education, art history, drawing, painting, and humanities at Monroe County Community College, and in 1993 began teaching drawing, design, and color at the University of Toledo. He has taught at all three schools over the past nine years, until the Winter Semester of 2003, when he began teaching the Color and Light course at the College For Creative Studies.

Daniel began exhibiting his paintings in Columbus in the early 1980s while still an undergraduate, as a member of the Columbus Art League, as well as at local galleries. Relocating to Michigan in 1988, he exhibited in the Ypsilanti/ Ann Arbor area as a member of the Ann Arbor Artist's Co-op, and his work became part of both Eastern Michigan University and Monroe County Community College, as well as in private collections.

Living in Toledo, Ohio from 1995 through 2000, and currently in Detroit, his work is represented by Flatlander's Gallery in Blissfield, Michigan, Dancing Eye Gallery in Northville, Michigan, The Toledo Museum of Art Store, Toledo, Ohio, and the Maniscalco Gallery in Grosse Pointe, Michigan. Daniel has exhibited his paintings, drawings, and mixed media pieces throughout Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, and in Canada.