Letter from Ray Johnson to Lorna Halper (pg. 1 & 2)

Ray Johnson, "Letter from Ray Johnson to Lorna Halper (pg. 1 & 2)". 1947. Top right corner is a pair of red lips and a red heart. Transcribed: "SUNDAY / MY DEER MY DEAR LORNA / I GOT FIVE LETTERS TODAY AND IT / WAS A RED LETTER DAY IT WAS / AFTER VALENTINES DAY AND ALL / HEARTS BEAT FASTER AND POURED / OUT IN SONG. I ENCLOSED TWO / SKETCHES I MADE AFTER READING / EUGENE O'NIELS THE EMPEROR / JONES. THEY ARE TWO CHARACTERS / IN THE OPENING SCENE. O'NEILS / DESCRIPTION OF THE SET AND / CHARACTERS IS LIKE A PAINTING. / I TALKED TO PATSY ABOUT STAGE / SETS - HOW YOU HAVE TO THINK / IN DESIGNING ON WHERE PEOPLE / ENTER AND LEAVE, THE ACTION, / ETC. I SAID THAT WE NEVER / DO ANYTHING HERE LIKE THAT. / ALL IS THOUGHT OF AS PAST, / THE PAST AND FUTURE SHOULD / ALWAYS BE THE PRESENT. / ATI WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO / DESIGNED COSTUMES. THAT IS / WHAT WE NEED MORE AND / MORE DESIGN. CONSCIOUS / PLANNING AND UNCONSCIOUS / INTUITIVE POWER. GO SEE / THE ICE MAN COMETH. EVA / SAID IT WAS A SHITTY PLAY / BUT IT MAY BE GOOD. WILLIE / IS IN THE MISSION HOSPITAL / IN ASHEVILLE. HE DID" Verso: Bottom half of page has two animal caricatures. "SOMETHING TO HIS BACK. PASTY AND / AN AMBULANCE CARTED HIM OFF. I / DO NOT KNOW HOW SERIOUS IT IS. / ASAWA DARNED SOCKS THIS / MORNING. YOUR LETTER WAS SO VERY / GOOD, AND I ENJOYED EVERY WORD / SENTENSE, DRAWING AND THOUGHT. / I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO BE IN N.Y. / SEEING YOU OH MY BABY. HANNELORE / AND I AT LUNCH DISCUSSED WHAT / WE WOULD LIKE TO BE DOING IN / N.Y. THIS AFT. SHE WANTED TO / GO TEA DANCING AT THE PLAZA / OF ALL PLACES AND I THINK / I WOULD BE HAPPY ANYWHERE." A drawing of an elephant with human eyelashes and teeth smiling at a small flower. In cursive: "Hannelore the elephant / with the big proboscis. / Have you ever / seen the / wonderful / Calder / animal / drawings?" To the left, a drawing of 'bunny' with stripes, human lipstick and eyelashes. Underneath drawing: "HONEY, A FUNNY BUNNY."