Autistic artist finds inspiration in New York city

"As we saw art becoming a career for him, we thought to get him a degree," said Annette Wiltshire, 37, Stephen's sister who accompanied him to New York. "He's a mature student, part time."

Going to art school also allows Stephen to interact with more people and discover different ways to create images, his sister said.

Brother and sister are visibly close and speak with the same West Indian-infused British lilt.

"The only thing to calm him down was to draw or play with toy double-decker buses," she said of her brother's early years when his frustrations with the world would result in screaming tantrums.

Wiltshire lives with his mother in London and as well as art school, his routine includes Wednesday's and Friday's at his gallery in that city and piano lessons on Thursday.

Weekends "are with my mum," he said. Wiltshire's father died when Stephen was two.

He was named a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) from Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace in 2006 for services to the art world.

"He's a very nice man," Wiltshire said. "He talked to me about my interest in art and was very kind."

After finishing the New York drawing, Wiltshire will be like any other tourist. His sightseeing list includes riding a tour bus and going to the New York Police Department museum.

"The noises, the bright lights on Broadway," said Wiltshire, smiling and thinking of the city he enjoys.

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(Reporting by Nick Olivari; Editing by Patricia Reaney)