4 Aug 2026
BALBOA PARK #38 - Can you become an artist without fully getting our hearts broken?
Hi,
Yesterday I spent an entire day wandering through the Tate Modern in London. I went to see the Frida Kahlo exhibition, then Tracey Emin, then Ana Mendieta.
I left overwhelmed because of a question that kept following me from one room to the next.
What makes some artworks feel so intensely alive?
In this episode, I walk through London while trying to answer that question.
I wonder whether being an artist is simply about making art, or whether it’s about something much more uncomfortable: allowing yourself to fully experience life, even when it hurts.
What if the real difference isn’t talent…
…but the courage to let your heart break?
It’s probably the most vulnerable episode of Balboa Park I’ve recorded so far. At one point I even forget the second thing I wanted to tell you because I become too aware of how exposed I feel.
Maybe you’ll recognize yourself in that feeling.
If you’ve ever kept yourself safe, protected your emotions, questioned whether you were a “real artist,” or simply wondered why some works move you to tears while others don’t, I think this conversation is for you.
🎧 Listen to Episode 38 and, if it resonates, I’d genuinely love to hear from you. Just reply to this email. Knowing someone is listening means much more to me than likes or statistics.
The self-portraits are below 👇
Yesterday’s museum visit inspired me to draw several self-portraits. I’m sharing them with you below this email.
Rather than choosing one, I decided to keep them together. They feel like different fragments of the same day.
☀️ Summer Drawing Room
If you’re looking for a quiet space to draw with other humans this summer, remember that the Summer Drawing Room is open on Zoom.
a shared room where we make things together.
🗓️ August 16🗓️ August 23🗓️ August 30
🕡 6:30–7:30 PM (Paris time)
👉 Zoom:https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87521981091 (https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87521981091)
Meeting ID: 875 2198 1091
❤️ Patreon is becoming my real home
You might be receiving this through Substack because, a few years ago, I stopped using Mailchimp. I simply didn’t want to keep paying for another newsletter service, so Substack became the easiest solution.
But the more time passes, the more I realize that this horrible platform isn’t really where I want to build my community.
Patreon has slowly become the place where everything comes together: this podcast, the Graphic Journal Club, live Zoom sessions, behind-the-scenes sketches, challenges, conversations, and all the things that don’t really fit into social media.
If you’d like to support my work (or simply keep following it in one place), I’d love to welcome you there.
Whether you’re a free member or a supporter, Patreon is where I’m putting my energy from now on.
👉 Join me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/graphicjournalclub
Thank you for walking through museums, cities, doubts, and ideas with me.
and before we say goodbye this is the quote from Andrea Gibson I was talking about in the audio:
I don't want to get out without a broken heart. I intend to leave this life so shattered there's gonna have to be a thousand separate heavens for all of my flying parts
See you on Patreon,
Nicoz
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nicozbalboa.substack.com (https://nicozbalboa.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)
