NEW YORK—Close readers of the catalogue for Elizabeth Murray’s 2005–06 MoMA retrospective in New York might be bemused to see several reproduced pages from the artist’s working notebooks. One records a dream about critical power couple Roberta Smith and Jerry Saltz: 

Dream — Mon. Oct 25, 1994

Morning — we are in a new loft beautiful view of skyline — soft early morning sky — pink puffy clouds — I am anxious about whether we are in right space and views are good enough — Suzanne McClellan & group of people are there — my hair is all messy.

Roberta Smith calls — I am glad because (really in real life, which I think this dream is about) she was cold to me at a party — I try to make a dinner date — I hear her talking to Jerry in background who —

[Page turn here—she writes up the right-hand side of the page.]

clearly doesn't want to come.  I think oh the hell with them — at least I tried.

[This was written in a manila-colored unlined notebook. On the facing page is study for her painting What is Love, c. 1994.]

Elizabeth Murray died August 12 at her home in upstate New York. This article is adapted from a piece that ran in the November 2005 edition of Art & Auction magazine.