The Inside Joke
A Country Tear
8.5” x 11”
Mixed Media (Acrylic, Ink and Collage) on Cardstock (Gel Plate)
10/8/2025
My latest artwork, "A Country Tear," is equal parts social commentary, holiday reflection, and inside joke (for those of you that get it). On the surface, it shows a skeleton posing in a wholesome country outfit as part of my ongoing Halloween and Dia De Los Muertos themes. It is also part of my larger series, "The Inside Joke" (you can see the full gallery at elvissantana.com), which explores narcissism and the masks people wear to hide their emptiness. The piece reflects how, on social media, people present flawless lives — picture perfect smiles, family moments, and travels — while concealing the fractured truths of their personal struggles. Beneath those curated snapshots often lie childhood wounds, trauma, and the insatiable need for validation. These skeletons, both literal and metaphorical, represent the ghosts of unhealed pasts that drive people to seek worth through admiration and appearances, clinging desperately to youth and relevance.
The title, "A Country Tear," carries a dual meaning, born from an accident during its creation. While pulling the print from the gel plate, the paint tore in several places. Rather than discard it, I pivoted and layered a new print over it, creating a collage that became even more meaningful. The “tear” represents both the rip in the artwork and the emotional cracks beneath the surface — the quiet pain behind the country charm. Ironically, each failed pull has birthed new pieces in this series, including the next one, “If She Only Had a Head on Her Shoulders.” Sometimes, the imperfections reveal the truest story, and art, like people, becomes most honest in its flaws.
Prints and merchandise are available at our #RedBubble and various other stores (links in bio).
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Private Collection