‘Cocktail Hour with Skip Arnold and Friends’ merges the sensibilities of the Dean Martin Variety Show or a Bob Hope Christmas Special (circa 1970) with Tom Marioni’s participatory work ‘The Act of Drinking Beer with Friends’ (which has been orchestrated since 1970).   Video and performance artist Skip Arnold serves as host and protagonist to a barrage of international talent.  While sipping vodka (pronounced ‘vodker’) in a cozy second floor loft with guests, work from across all disciplines cover the floors and walls.  Not quite a one-night mash-up, not quite a  ‘holiday show’, but a week and a half of Skip’s friends, associates, and in the fashion of a network variety show, a slew of characters that Skip knows nothing of.  

The general premise of the show is rooted in Skip Arnold’s self-determined oeuvre of being “Skip” and its related ‘doings, “actions,” and “choices.” ‘Cocktail Hour with Skip Arnold and Friends’ aims to present a regular occurrence in the life of Skip Arnold. 

Artists include Meagan Boyd, Young Chung, Janine Cortez, Michael Decker, Michael Dee, Kim Dorland, Spencer Douglass, Martin Durazo, Katie Herzog, Bettina Hubby, Aragna Ker, John Knuth, Kristi Lippire, Karen Lofgren, Amy Maloof, Adam Miller, Devon Oder, Archie  M. Purvis, Michael Rabbit, Michael Rey, Rick Robinson, Michael Salerno, Greta Svalberg, Ami Tallman, Goody B.Wiseman, Matt Wardell, and Eve Wood.