Robert Newton Hurley’s Prairie Grain Elevator (c. 1964) is a quintessential example of the artist’s well-known watercolour landscapes, capturing the open skies and grassland of the Canadian Prairies. Best known for his ability to depict light and atmosphere with clarity, Hurley became one of Saskatchewan’s most recognized painters, often referred to as “the Sky Painter.”

Hurley was deeply moved by the vastness of the prairie landscape, and he developed a singular focus on its visual language, grain elevators, fields, and expansive skies. This watercolour reflects that focus: the towering grain elevator stands in the background as a central vertical anchor, surrounded by glowing sky rendered in soft washes of colour.

Hurley's watercolours were not only widely exhibited but were also commissioned by the Saskatchewan government and even gifted to members of the British royal family.

This watercolour on paper measures 10 x 14 inches, is signed by the artist on the lower right, and is protected by museum glass.