New York – Acclaimed Autistic British Artist Sketch New York City Skyline From Memory

New York – Internationally acclaimed artist Stephen Wiltshire has created a one-of-a-kind artwork of the New York City Skyline.

Following a 45-minute helicopter ride around Manhattan, Wiltshire draw a cityscape in a residence on the 80th floor of the Empire State Building. He began working on the drawing on October 11, and worked almost non-stop for five days until Sunday.

Wiltshire famously creates his artwork from memory.

“Stephen Wiltshire has a truly special gift, an enormous talent. To have the chance to have Stephen in residence at the Empire State Building is truly an honor, and for him to allow our guests to watch him work is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said Anthony E. Malkin, Chairman and CEO of Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. “Stephen has a special affection for the Empire State Building.”

Since age 3, Wiltshire has communicated with the world through the language of drawing. He was an award-winning artist in children’s art competitions, and he received his first commission from the British Prime Minister at age 8. In 2006, he was named a Member of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II for his services to the art world, and later that year founded his gallery at the Royal Opera Arcade in London.

Wiltshire’s unique talent and fondness for cityscapes have taken him around the world to Tokyo, Madrid, Dubai, Jerusalem, Singapore, Sydney, Shanghai, Istanbul, Mexico City and Rome, among many other locations. New York City remains a favorite metropolis, second only to his home in London.

“After many, many years of traveling and sketching cities across the globe, I always come back to Manhattan as a place for inspiration,” said Stephen Wiltshire. “The Empire State Building has long been my favorite building in the world, and while I had the opportunity to sketch it in 2015, this is a unique commission which had me really excited.”