I think these "hug clubs" start when people add artists to their favourite lists.
You are then ebotted each time a new pic is put up and some feel compelled to make a comment. People, being as they are, like to make nice comments.
I would say that the art chart correlates closely to the number of people you have on your favourites list.
Beats me how anybody can judge art anyway. Technique or skill  maybe, but not the artistic quality of the piece itself.