If You Stutter, You Are Not Alone: Art That Reflects Community
- Apr 30
- 2 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
Seeing your experience as a person who stutters reflected back to you in a way that feels joyful and honest can be life-changing. That’s why the National Stuttering Association (NSA) is so excited to announce our collaboration with Willemijn to release special edition NSA art!
The artwork, centered around our slogan, “If you stutter, you are not alone,” brings the spirit of the stuttering community to life. It’s not only a visual, but also a reminder that art can be a meaningful outlet for expressing who we are and how we experience the world. 100% of purchase proceeds support the NSA’s mission to create a more understanding world for people who stutter.
Creative Process: From Idea to Illustration
“I really wanted to capture the joy of the stuttering community, so I chose a colorful and playful style for this illustration,” Willemijn said. “I first drew the tagline in the center and then sketched different characters around it, interacting with each other in a positive way. Some of them are inspired by friends from the community, which makes the art feel more authentic and meaningful.”
Willemijn’s process reflects the same sense of connection that the artwork represents. By centering the message first and building outward, she created a world where community quite literally surrounds the idea that no one who stutters is alone on their journey.
Symbols of Connection & What She Hopes You Feel
“I enjoy playing with the shapes of speech bubbles to show different ways of speaking and stuttering,” Willemijn said. “The intersecting speech bubbles symbolize the connection we can experience through our speech.”
These details invite you to look a little closer. The variation in speech bubbles highlights the diversity of communication, while their intersections point to something shared: understanding and community.
“When people who stutter look at this artwork, I hope they feel joy or even pride in being part of this community,” she said. “I hope they think of friends they have met, or new friends they might meet in the future.”
That sense of possibility of remembering past connections and imagining new ones is at the heart of this artwork.
Inspiration Behind the Work
“In terms of style, I am inspired by artists who draw in a loose and playful way,” Willemijn said. “I want to convey joy in my work, which I also aimed to do in this piece. The topics that inspire me most are stuttering, mental health, and finding connection. I enjoy creating very personal work and sharing stories from real people. That's why some of the characters in this piece are based on my real friends from the community.”
Willemijn’s art is rooted in stories and experiences. That’s what makes this collaboration feel so meaningful. It reflects the community not just in message, but in spirit.
This art is designed to meet you wherever you are and is available as a digital bundle, including an 18x24 print, desktop background, and mobile background. Download the digital print from our merch store.
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