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 April 25, 1962, Indiana records several attempted visits by his landlord Schonbrun, but that he answered none. He writes that Schonbrun's "imminence did behoove me [to] begin [his] long overdue [painting], so I started 'The Marine Works,' using an old canvas [that] once [was] a [painting] of my corn plant." He includes a sketch, noting that it is a 40 x 36-inch oil on canvas work. 

Indiana then discusses a visit to Lenore's Tawney studio to see her latest tapestry, which he declares "she is understandably wild about." He mentions that he brought over his sculpture Ge for her third floor gallery and that Edgar Negret was coming the following day to pick up his piece on loan. He also records the announcement of Ernest Dieringer's spring exhibition at the Poindexter Gallery.