The Town of Cary is pleased to announce the winners of the 2008 Jerry Miller Artist Award - an honor that recognizes the "Best of Show" among artworks/crafts displayed at the Town of Cary's Annual Lazy Daze Arts & Crafts Festival that attracts more than 60,000 people each year. The following individuals were selected from among 354 artists for top honors in the six categories:

• Shandi Berls - Clay artist, Wilmington, NC

• Barbara Berman - Fiber artist, Sanford, NC

• John Furches - Graphics Artist, Elkin, NC

• Tim Garvin -- Jewelry Artist, Durham, NC

• Sydney Jeffrey - Jewelry Artist, Richmond, VA

• Liz Williams - Mixed Media Artist, Atlanta, GA

"We applaud these individuals for their outstanding contribution to yet another successful Lazy Daze Festival," said Town of Cary Festivals Coordinator Joy Ennis. "We encourage both local and nationwide artists to share their talents in this award-winning festival each year."

A panel of five judges consisting of working artists, arts educators, Festival Committee members and professionals in the arts field chose winners on the following criteria: craftsmanship and technical skill; attention to detail; consistency of style; apparent and well developed intention or concept; innovative, creative, divergent thinking; unity of concept; apparent understanding of aesthetics in work; balance of compositional elements; and appropriate material choice for concept.

In 2001 to commemorate the 25th annual festival, the Lazy Daze Committee instituted the Lazy Daze Invitation Awards, now named the Jerry Miller Artist Awards, to honor the Lazy Daze festival's founding father, local artist Jerry Miller.

For more information visit Lazy Daze at http://www.townofcary.org/depts/prdept/events/lazydaze/lazydazehome.htm .