Blowing My Own Trumpet: The Story of #fridaysketchclub
In Australia, there’s a saying: to blow one’s own trumpet. It means making self-congratulatory statements to raise your own ego or status. It’s generally frowned upon—seen as egotistical. So, if this offends, feel free to tune out now. But if you’re happy to indulge me, please read on.
Our 2014 Instagram exhibition post for the exhibition.
Back in August 2014, I curated an exhibition called #fridaysketchclub at the Muswellbrook Regional Arts Centre, Australia. The idea was simple but exciting: an international drawing exhibition showcasing the work of artists who had all met through Instagram. At the time, I certainly didn’t think we were the first to do such a thing, so I never promoted it that way. How egotistical would that have been? Little ol’ me, in country Australia, claiming the first-ever Instagram exhibition!
But now it seems… we might actually have been one of the first. A gallery in America held a similar show in 2012, but recently, a London gallery—The Unit Gallery—claimed they were the first Instagram exhibition.
The Background
In March 2014, my Instagram friend Jon Hayes (@j.hayesart) and I dreamed up a hashtag: #fridaysketchclub. The idea was simple: on Fridays, artists would create a sketch or drawing, hashtag it, post it, and then over the weekend, browse the tag and leave comments for each other. It wasn’t competitive—just a safe, joyful space for like-minded people to connect through their love of art.
Out of that came the seed of an exhibition. I pitched the idea to Brad Franks, the manager at Muswellbrook Regional Arts Centre, and he generously offered us an exhibition slot in August 2014. Perfect timing—our little online community was creating beautiful work, and it felt right to bring it all together in a show.
Eleven artists committed, and suddenly the project was real. The timing, however, was tricky—I was about to head off to a month-long artist residency in Italy. When I arrived, I discovered I couldn’t access my email or laptop. That meant the entire exhibition had to be coordinated via Instagram. Thankfully, my fellow artists were incredibly supportive. Most of them I had never even met in person, yet they trusted me completely, and I was so grateful for their encouragement.
The artists included: Jon Hayes (USA), Paul Mordetsky (USA), Jakob Pinto (USA), Joy Thomas (USA), Curtis Jensen (USA), Brian Martin (USA), Caragh Savage (UK), Jerome Royer (France), Anne Kristensen (Norway), Terge Thomassen (Norway), Reza Doust (Canada), and myself. Each artist sent two works, which I then framed and, with the gallery’s help, hung for the show.
The exhibition at Muswellbrook Regional Arts Centre
Fast Forward
A few months ago, some of our Friday Sketch Club community reached out to The Unit Gallery to let them know they weren’t the first to hold an Instagram exhibition. A small social media confrontation followed. Eventually, we all agreed that neither of us was the first—but naturally, I thought they might take the gentlemanly route and adjust their PR. Not so. Instead, they blocked all of my artist friends from their Instagram account.
Why block us? What’s to hide?
We may be a smaller group of artists without the backing of a big-name London gallery, but we do have a voice—and it counts. Recognition matters, and in this case, it’s due.
So, if you’ve kept reading to the end, perhaps you feel the same. Thank you for supporting our little cause and, just this once, helping us blow our own trumpet.
Yours in art,
Bec x
