After spending a lifetime perfecting his skills as a premier ship modeler, Wilhelm turned his attention to full time painting at the age of 51. Influenced by a childhood spent along the Mississippi River, he started painting harbor scenes which depict the character and romance of the great merchant vessels of the 50’s. In his later years he began painting trains which he personally researched. Through his early work in modeling, Wilhelm developed a feeling for scale, proportion and detail, which lends a distinctive sense of realism to his paintings.

A native of New Orleans, Wilhelm saw his first steamship when he was six years old. “My father took me to the docks to see a British cruiser and the U.S. battleship ARKANSAS,” he recalls. “I remember well holding his hand crossing the street, the ships blocked from view by the freight sheds, with only their masts towering above. We waited for a steam engine with some freight cars go by, and then walked out on the docks to a breathtaking sight. I had found my true love.”

Wilhelm, a member of the Steamship Historical Society of America, painted commissions for steamship companies, covers for magazines, and portraits for ship lovers.