Painter and montage maker of hard-edged abstracts, Dannatt emphasizes the properties of the materials he uses.
After attending his local Grammar School in Blackheath, London, Dannatt trained to become a Surveyor. He studied at the College of Estate Management (London University), and qualified as a Chartered Surveyor in 1940. He joined the family business soon after qualifying and after the War rejoined the family business. In addition to his professional work as a Surveyor he became a music critic for the London News Chronicle. He was elected a Fellow (F.R.I.C.S.) in 1957.
It was whilst spending time in St Ives under the influence of Gabo, Nicholson, Hepworth and other constructivist inspired artists that he commenced painting. He showed work at Penwith and Newlyn Art Galleries. In 1975 he exhibited in a mixed show with John Wells and Alexander Mackenzie at Orion Gallery, Penzance.
Dannett's first retrospective exhibition of work (1960-1981) was in 1981 at Newlyn Art Gallery. He has exhibited throughout Britain and with Galerie Schreiner, Basel, Switzerland, and in Cuxhaven, Germany.