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 entry for August 8, 1961, Indiana records that he received unsolicited entry blanks for a show at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, and that James Rosenquist, who had seen none of his new works, came over for his first visit since vacation. He notes that the window displays Rosenquist had designed for Bloomingdales were up, and that Rosenquist reported that Ellsworth Kelly was seeing the director of the Guggenheim that day.

Indiana also writes that he gave several small paintings second coats, and wrote letters to artist Richard Smith and to artist/filmmaker Eila Hershon.