SYDNEY.- Fiona Greenhill has won the $3000 First Prize in the 2008 Sydney, City of Villages Art Exhibition and Prize for her work Distant Lights, Balmain, Darling Street.

Judges selected ten finalists from a record 114 entries, but praised Greenhill's work as a sophisticated painting with a beautiful, subtle quality.

The ten finalists' artworks will go on exhibition at the Pine Street Creative Arts Centre in Chippendale from July 15 - July 26, as well as being displayed throughout the City of Sydney in JCDecaux street furniture from July 15 - August 4.

"The judging panel was overwhelmed with the amount of talent and vision in all entries this year," said Councilor Marcelle Hoff at last night's launch event held at Pine Street Creative Arts Centre.

"All entrants should be proud of their works, which wonderfully captured Sydney's diverse culture and the energetic scenes of city life."

The finalists were selected by a distinguished panel of judges including, Jane Watters (S.H Ervin Gallery Director), Deborah Edwards (Senior Curator Australian Art, Art Gallery of New South Wales), and Lindy Lee (renowned Sydney artist).

Entrants were encouraged to draw inspiration from their neighbourhoods, village landmarks and city experiences. Each of the ten finalists' works explores diverse scenes of Sydney's village life, from traffic and bridges, to markets and street culture.

The ten finalists:

Linda Bowden of Erskineville, "Macdonaldtown Bridge"
Kathryn Dodd Farrawell of Forest Lodge, "Healing Step!"
Nicole Eggers of Marrickville, "Parramatta Road"
Michael Fairweather of Darlington, "Cnr Abercrombie and Lawson Late Afternoon"
Fiona Greenhill of Leura, "Distant Lights, Balmain, Darling Street"
Toni McDowell of Camperdown, "Federal Park Morning"
Andrew Purvis of Darlington, "Crossing Sheppard Street"
Snezana Ulbrich of Rozelle, "Street Urchins"
Biron Valier of Potts Point, "Kings Cross Art Deco"
Hiske Weijers of Erskineville, "Redfern Fruit Shop"
2008 marks the third year Sydney, City of Villages Art Exhibition and Prize has been presented by the City of Sydney in partnership with JCDecaux.