Cup of Joe

This Ana Inciardi mini print centers on a single paper coffee cup rendered in blue, white, and warm brown tones against a soft grey background. The cup features the iconic Greek key border pattern running along both the top and bottom bands, with the familiar white cartouche reading "We Are Happy To Serve You" printed across its front. The cup holds dark coffee visible at the open rim, and the composition is clean and direct, with the title "cup of joe" written by hand in lowercase along the bottom left.

The "We Are Happy To Serve You" cup was a staple of New York City diners and street carts for decades, originally produced by the Sherri Cup Company in the 1960s. It became so embedded in the city's daily life that it is now widely recognized as an unofficial symbol of New York. Collectors are drawn to this print because it captures an object that carries genuine cultural weight without being sentimental about it.

The quiet confidence of the composition, nothing but the cup and its modest text, reflects the directness that runs through Inciardi's catalog. This print sits comfortably as a New York print alongside her other city-themed subjects, and collectors frequently group it with her food and everyday object pieces. The hand-lettered title reinforces the handmade quality that distinguishes her mini print work overall, and the controlled, limited palette gives it a presence that translates well whether displayed alone or within a larger gathering of her prints.