Erika "Rikki Guns" Patten has been a lifelong Visual Artist in numerous mediums and behind the lens for over 3 decades as owner of Cozmik Photography LLC. Formally-educated in  the craft of Photography over 2 decades at respected Art  Institutions such  as FSU, The Corcoran School of The Arts and Design, PPA (Professional Photographers of America) and WSP (Washington School of Photography), this Washington DC Native-turned-South Floridian back in 2014 and remained one of the most sought-after and successful ProTogs in four states. Having been the trusted love story-teller in over 400 weddings, more than half of which were LGBTQ+ couples from all over the U.S. after Marriage Equality passed in our Nation's Capitol, plus having worked with multiple recording artists, her work published in Guitar Player Magazine, The Washington Post, Relix Magazine and more, combined with her stellar professional reputation and unique shooting style, it was a fairly smooth transition for her to remain in-demand in her new home in South Florida. Rikki regularly covered real estate for private sellers, numerous beach weddings, family vacations, concerts, festivals and events such as Art Basel, and continued to work with many underground artists, venues and productions during Winter Music Conference and Miami Music Week annually for online publications including The Vinyl District, The Florida Underground and Red Bull Music Academy as well as for the recording artists who specifically requested her neurospicy eye.


But in 2020 when the pandemic hit and the entire world came to a halt, so did all the shoots. This "Great Pause" only steered Rikki back to her roots as a multi-media Visual Artist. She began drawing and painting again, and dove back into graphic design and web design under the temporary sub-brand Cozmik Visions, where she worked with many business owners, entrepreneurs, nonprofits and creatives across the U.S. building their brands and sites in this new post-pandemic economy. By the start of 2023, Rikki was a bit shocked that she had hardly picked up any of her cameras in a professional capacity in almost 3 years, and heeded the signs telling her that it was time to evolve. She then made the bitter-sweet decision to close shop on her website cozmikphotography.com...

After over 30 years as a professional photographer and business owner, it was time to slide into the next chapter. The chapter of raw Authenticity.

No brand. No box. Just Rikki.

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In 2024, she decided to launch RikkiGuns.Art not only to showcase her vast talents in and passion for other mediums, in addition to photography, but to stand proudly in the light of her Truth and late-diagnosis as an Autistic woman in full-recognition of her lifelong *special interests* which have always included (and always will include) Creativity, Artistic Expression and revealing the Beauty in Humanity, and the World.

 

After all, aren't the most eclectic, insightful and spicy Artists always neurodivergent?
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