Josh Ford is already a nationally recognized artist at the age of 17. Last year, Ford earned best of show honors for the state of Mississippi in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Federal Junior Duck Stamp Program.

A junior at Cathedral High School, Ford has been interested in art since he was a young child, but only took it up seriously in the ninth grade.

The son of Robert and Beverly Ford, Ford has two older sisters, one older brother and one twin sister.

&uot;We’re the Brady Bunch,&uot; Ford said with a laugh.

He and his twin sister, Jamie, are fraternal twins. He has blond hair and green eyes and his twin has brown hair and brown eyes.

Born in Germany into a military family, Ford’s family traveled as his father progressed through a 30-year career in the U.S. Navy.

Spending three years in Florida and two years in Maryland, Ford’s family moved to Natchez when he was in the fourth grade.

By then, he was already intrigued with art.

His favorite medium is pen and ink drawings, although his prize winning duck drawing was a mixed-media print – pen and ink with watercolor added.

Teresa Marler, art teacher at Natchez High School, has been Ford’s biggest booster.

&uot;She’s a really big help to me,&uot; he said. Her athering material on various competitions and encouraging Ford’s participation has been the force behind his success.

As his senior year in high school approaches, Ford said he is looking seriously at attending Ringling, a private art school in Sarasota, Fla.

His eventual goal is to go into fine or graphic arts as a career.

For now, he is happy to continue with his art and play drums in a punk rock band with friends.

Practicing in the basement at Moreton’s Flowerland, the band has played one &uot;gig&uot; in Kingston to positive reviews.