North America 45n 120w

Creative Rationale

Over the Cascade Range in central Washington State, where cold air masses create a stark temperature anomaly and moderate winds flow from the northwest, this composition interprets the atmospheric data through Riley's precise optical language. The extremely cold temperature of 7.7 K drives a monochromatic black-and-white palette reminiscent of her early 1960s work, while the moderate 4.3 m/s wind speed creates undulating lines with medium frequency that flow diagonally across the canvas following the 308-degree wind direction. The significant pressure gradient of 118.8 Pa generates tightly packed parallel lines that create intense optical vibration, with the high humidity adding subtle variations in line weight to suggest atmospheric density.