Robert Indiana kept a series of illustrated journals during the late 1950s and 1960s, in which he discusses the development of his work as well as his daily life on Coenties Slip

In his journal entry for August 6, 1963, Indiana writes that he prepared for a 10 a.m. appointment with Museum of Modern Art curator Mildred Constantine, but that after he cleaned the loft he received a call from her secretary saying the she was not feeling well. He records working on Red Sails while J. (his former partner, fashion designer John Kloss), was marrying Mary Peecook, a co-worker. He notes that he was invited to the wedding, but only as an afterthought, so he declined. He did, however, go to Kloss's apartment for what was supposed to be "a gathering of [the] intimates," but few people were there.

Indiana left the gathering to attend a dance concert, which he deemed no more exciting: "There was really no dance at all—just some bespectacled girl arranging some blocks, a rather corny film parodying all [the] horror movies of all time (Wotan) and [Aileen] Pasloff presenting an interlude of dishabille and herself much overdue for some reducing."

He records seeing various people he knew in the audience, being introduced to critic Jill Johnston, and then having dinner alone.