Cross-Country Travels Capture Award-Winning Art

Every two years Kay Selke takes a solo trip around the United States.

She's slept at a Wigwam Motel, wandered aimlessly on Route 66 and held up traffic in Washington, D.C. looking for a friend.

"Wherever the mood takes me, I stay off the interstate," she said.

During her latest trip last fall she found herself in Taylor, MI outside Detroit and took a picture of a pond that won her a first prize ribbon at a Woman's Club Festival of the Arts competition last month in Lakeside.

The Festival of the Arts is a competition to raise scholarship money for children in the arts. Finalists at the district festival will move on to compete in a statewide California Federation of Woman's Club competition this spring.

Together with Selke, Gladys Beit-Ishoo also won a first place ribbon for her photo of men installing a shelf. Other members of the Imperial Beach Woman's Club also won second place and honorable mentions in other categories.

The Art Kids of San Diego County took three first place ribbons and an honorable mention for their paintings.

Another local group, an extension of the Imperial Beach Woman's Club called The Night Owls, also took three first place ribbons for their entries.

A dress made by Sandi Newton will be ultimately be donated to a charity that gives dresses to young girls who cannot afford a dress, Selke said.