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 May 27, 1962, Indiana records working on the loft, rearranging his drawing table in order to have a covered area to work on his smaller canvases. He writes that fashion designer Wesley Tann, "a very nice guy with no unbearable pretension," came down for dinner, followed by a visit by Jeanne Molli, a writer for the New York Times, and her husband Mario.

Indiana also notes that he put together The Red Diamond American Dream #3 for the first time, and stood on his table to view it.