For the second consecutive year, a Plains teenager has taken home a major art award and nabbed local recognition for his artistic skills.

Malachi Paulsen received Best of Show in the Montana Junior Duck Stamp Contest, sponsored by the Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge for his color pencil and acrylic pen drawing of a harlequin duck. Entitled "Splash Down," the 19-year-old Paulsen was notified last week of his award. Paulsen said he probably won't find out what he gets until the awards ceremony in May.

Last year, the Plains High School senior took second place in the Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest, a VFW nationwide contest for a black and white graphite drawing of Army retiree Polly Gill of Plains. And last week, he won the People's Choice Award in the Sanders County Arts Council Art on the Wall contest for his "Leafy Lion" 3-D piece in the student show at Clark Fork Valley Hospital.

"I was happy to hear that I had placed first at state," said Paulsen of Splash Down, which took him about 80 hours to complete. He said he picked this species of duck because it's native of Alaska, where he was born and raised.

Paulsen started drawing when he was 11 years old while being homeschooled in Alaska by his mother, Ilene, a professional artist who painted two of the murals on the outside wall of Plains Garden, Gift & Floral last year. Malachi Paulsen works in a variety of mediums, such as painting, woodcarving, pencil, ceramics, and metal sculpture. He's done about 25 detailed drawings, but black and white graphite is his favorite. He's not sure how many awards he's taken, but he has won several first place ribbons at shows and the People's Choice Award four times in the Art on the Wall exhibit.

Paulsen leaves for Marine Corps basic training in South Carolina in August. He hopes to be able to continue drawing in his free time and wants to incorporate art into a career some day.