"In my search for interesting people to paint, I came to know this gentleman named Mickey Michele," says Morgan Weistling. "He is a fifth generation Californian whose great, great grandfather was a vaquero and horse trainer in 1890s Los Angeles. The art of horse training has been passed down from generation to generation and he follows in the footsteps of his grandfather. Mickey trains horses for mounted shooting and is an expert in firearms of the old West. I have painted him with his Trusted Friends that have served him so well, and I purposely used a rough textured painting style to convey his personality."