My Boyfriend Shot to Fame by Forging a Painting of Me Wearing Nothing

My boyfriend said that art held no restrictions, so he used my provocative paintings to enter a competition. Amidst a row of classic ceramic figurines, I became famous.

He shot to fame, landing in the top ten of trending searches, while I was humiliated by the entire internet and mocked as a “ceramic influencer.”

When I confronted him, he looked at me with disappointment. “They don’t understand art, and neither do you? I thought you would support my work, but I didn’t expect you to stir trouble! You’re so immature!”

I am a content creator specializing in handmade ceramics and sculptures. My creations are known for their exquisite craftsmanship and fresh, trendy designs, which have gained me some recognition on TikTok.

However, recently, my account has been flooded with malicious comments.

“How much per session?”

“Five bucks per video.”

“Ceramic sugar baby!”

“I didn’t expect someone who looks so cold and aloof to be this wild. I wonder whose wife she’ll end up as.”

While it’s not uncommon for female creators to face malicious comments, this time, it felt exceptionally vicious.

While I was still confused about what was going on, my phone buzzed. I answered the call, and my best friend’s anxious voice came through. “Piper! How could you let your boyfriend use that piece for the competition?”

I was baffled. “What competition piece?”

She quickly sent me a link.

The moment I clicked on it, rage surged through me like fire reaching my head.

It was a life-sized ceramic figurine depicting a sensual, suggestive woman wearing nothing, with flushed cheeks and an amorous gaze. The shocking part? The woman’s face was unmistakably mine. This lewd piece was placed among other ceramic artworks featuring detailed landscapes, birds, flowers, and classic patterns, sticking out like a sore thumb.

The piece had gone viral, making it to the top 10 trending topics.

My boyfriend, Hudson Brewer, who submitted the painting, became the center of media attention after the competition. In an interview, he said earnestly, “I believe the preservation of intangible artistic beauty shouldn’t be limited. Anything exquisite deserves to be recorded. So, I immortalized my girlfriend, the most beautiful person in my heart, on clay. She’s also a ceramic artist, and she fully supports my work.”

The comment section was polarized. Some praised him for being romantic, saying he was so in love with his girlfriend. Others criticized me for being shameless and compared the piece to a 3D dirty photoshoot. Some even said Hudson was disrespecting art and that the work was a disgrace.

It didn’t take long for online sleuths to identify me as ceramic artists who enjoyed a bit of fame were far and few in between. Soon, my videos were bombarded with similar shaming comments.

Heartbroken and furious, I went straight to the second floor of our ceramic studio to confront Hudson.

Just before I opened the door, I overheard him on the phone.

“Don’t worry, babe. Once I get full ownership of this ceramic studio, I’ll dump her. By then, I’ll have money, and we can get married.”

I froze in shock.

Hudson and I met after college and have been dating for two years. We both majored in art and opened this ceramic studio six months ago, riding the wave of the make-it-yourself trend and social media.

He comes from a single-parent family with little savings. When I suggested starting this business, he admitted he couldn’t contribute financially but promised to help run it. So, I handled everything from finding the location to renovating, funding, and designing.

We had even talked about marriage. A while ago, he asked for a share in the shop or to be listed as the legal owner, saying he wanted to share the risks and ease my burden. I was touched. I thought it was his way of showing commitment, especially knowing he had a college girlfriend he never fully got over.

He once told me, “Her parents didn’t approve of me because I was poor.” Since then, I avoided mentioning money and didn’t mind how much I spent on him.

I thought, ‘Once we’re married, everything will be shared anyway.’

I never imagined that while I believed he had let go of the past, it turned out he had only let go of me.