A cup is an object at the foundation of ceramics, a form which is recognized by everyone. They are part of the rituals of togetherness and unity - an object used when coming together over a beer, tea, coffee, etc. The cup is one of the few things that someone willingly brings to their lips. This intimacy aids my work by requiring the viewer to investigate the function of these cups when interacting with them. I am using the cup as a substrate to discuss the function of borders,  through their containment properties. Many other objects also possess similar functionality; keeping things in, while keeping others out. For example, fences function as a tool of separation. I am using the fence imagery of the American Dream found in propaganda posters of the ’50s to inspire my fence motif, which is reflected on the surface of my forms. This divider has become an element of our current landscape, creating separations in neighborhoods, cities, and society at large. Both cups and fences have embedded themselves within society in plain sight, used in everyday life, completely ignored in their significance.