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 September 24, 1962, Indiana discusses a call from his friend Arthur Carr (a clinical psychologist and art collector) regarding Agnes Martin, who had just been transferred to the New York State Psychiatric Institute with the help of Lenore Tawny and Chryssa. He also records calls from gallerist Rolf Nelson, who convinced him to go to the Claes Oldenburg opening that evening, and collector Myron Orlofsky, who wanted his painting The Rebecca, "but at 10% discount, which, he says, he always gets."

Indiana notes finishing the second coat on his poster painting (Stable) before meeting Nelson, "dressed a la California . . . (badly)," to head to the Oldenburg opening at Green Gallery. Indiana writes that he saw few people he knew, and regarding the show says "strange show: small pieces and drawings v[ery] successful: big items all bombs and dud." He records having dinner after and then going  to James Rosenquist's studio, seeing more new works, and upon returning home preparing The Great Reap, which was to be picked up for the Museum of Modern Art the next day (the painting was included in the museum's Penthouse Exhibition, on view from October 8–November 11, 1962).