By LAURA MASONI
City of Fishers
The City of Fishers is proud to recognize Laura Villanyi, a long-time Fishers resident and artist, as this year’s City of Fishers Apparel Design contest winner.
Villanyi
The Apparel Design contest took place in late 2021, where residents were invited to submit their designs to be included on apparel sold in the city’s online store. This was the second year for the contest.
Villanyi moved to Fishers from Indianapolis in 1978, where she has resided ever since.
“At the time, I felt like a pioneer of Fishers,” she said. Laura is a Hamilton Southeastern High School graduate, and during her time as a Royal, she had a terrific art teacher who helped propel her into her current career as an artist. “He really encouraged me as an artist.”
After graduating from HSE, Villanyi went on to Purdue University where she earned a bachelor’s in art history with a minor in graphic arts. Her talents have carried her into many different artistic jobs throughout her ongoing career. “I have been an illustrator, photographer, a ceramicist, flame worker, and a calligrapher,” she explained.
For 15 years, she worked selling glass beads, which she handmade and turned into jewelry. However, now she is focused on calligraphy and illustrations. Her background in calligraphy is what helped inspire her to create her design for the Apparel Contest.
Along with her projects, she also serves as the president of the Fishers Arts Council. It is through her role that she discovered this contest.
“I was in City Hall and I happened to see a post card sitting out about this T-shirt contest, and so I thought ‘Oh wow, I can do that!’” she said.
Along with her design being featured on apparel, Villanyi also won $250, which she plans to pour right back into her art by purchasing art supplies for her upcoming endeavors.
As of now, she is developing an intricate alphabet coloring book that she hopes to publish in the future, as well as other similar projects.
Check out the Fishers Apparel Store to purchase Villanyi’s winning design on a T-shirt as well as other unique Fishers swag.