Chat Ed : Welcome Paul...!
Paul O'Hare : Hello, hi I'm Paul! How are you everyone?
monet : Grrrrrrr Paul your tasty.....lol
blackbeltjones : paul - just want to say you are a star, mate
Paul O'Hare chuckles
Paul O'Hare : I really appreciate that. Thanks!
enticed by tizer : Paul, loved the transformation - have you kept the drastic change?
Paul O'Hare : Yes I have. I'm enjoying the new shirt, hair cut and my wife loves it too.
Yelhsa : it looks good on ya
Paul O'Hare : Thank you very much.
BobPaisley : A truly inspiring film. You are the man!
LoriSmith : What have you been doing since the test?
darbyserrano : what have you done since the programme was made
alan : How long ago did the project end and what have you done since then?
Paul O'Hare : It ended on Feb 11th and since then I've just been going about my business. I have produced some art work work which goes on exhibition at E1 Gallery in Bethnal Green from Monday. And I'll be on the Big Breakfast tomorrow!
Cath : excellent!!!!!!!!!!!
Paul O'Hare : Probably making a fool of myself.
Damion Hurst : Thats great news Paul!!!
loggie : have you sold any paintings
Paul O'Hare : You'll have to speak to my gallery assistant!
Paul O'Hare laughs
Save Huyton : Hi Paul, You done good Well done mate, Give me your autograph in the garage, I'm your local petrol station guy!
Gonzalez : have your mates anything to say about the fact you now say things like 'serendipitous'?
Paul O'Hare laughs
Paul O'Hare : Oh yeah of course! They say quite a lot of things. You can imagine what..."shut up you tosser usually!"
Chat Ed chuckles
estreet : Was your overall impression that you had 'faked it' or that you had released a dormant talent?
Paul O'Hare : It certainly wasn't a fake for me, I produced art and it felt right. I enjoyed every moment.
Colin B : Please don't let those posers put you off from pursuing your talent - your stuff was the best in that gallery. You're a definite talent.
Hugh McKenna : How long before you give up the decorating for the rewards of the art scene.
Paul O'Hare : It purely depends on general consensus and whether someone will come along and make me a millionaire. So of course then I'd give it up!
Ott : Paul - just wanted to say i thougt that was the BEST TV prog i've seen all year...
marc : have you kept in contact with your 'mentors'?
Paul O'Hare : I'm actually having a drink with them this evening. We all watched it together.
mani : Paul, u were BRILLIANT!!!
aestheticfactorycom : Your first ever show must have been quite scary, such a high profile show, how did you prepare for that?
Paul O'Hare : I didn't really! The whole month was such a moving experience it just threw me all around the place so it just washed over me.
draconia : The scary thing is that you looked just like my Art tutour, beard, clothes, everything!!!;)
gordy : does your wife thinked you have changed since your art experience and do you think it has changed you in anyway
Paul O'Hare : Yes, my wife thinks I have become more laid back and let things just wash over me rather than getting uptight.
Damion Hurst : Hi Paul, you said that you found it difficult to talk about the period of life when you were younger where you were disabled for a while.......has this changed since the making of the programme?
will0136 : was it hard to constantly have your disability brought up every time your work was discussed?
Paul O'Hare : It was very hard and I always did talk about it when it was in my life. But what didn't come across is that I hadn't dealt with it myself. The show brought it out which I am very grateful for. I've come to terms with it now.
-Superstar- : Were you really inspired by Jackson Pollock?
Paul O'Hare : Totally, he has a technique of dripping paint evenly and I can connect with this as I know you it's really difficult to drip paint evenly. I am a painter and decorator so I know how hard it is.
Jamon : So then, would you say you are an artist now or a painter and decorator (both valid careers BTW)?
Samm : Do you consider yourself an artist now? Should, you are rockin'!
Paul O'Hare : Commercially I am a painter and decorator, but I am open to other offers as I am obviously producing art now, so we'll wait and see.
glenn : You got a GCE grade 1 Art, any regrets about not going to art school?
Paul O'Hare : Totally regret it, which is quite a bold statement for someone who runs a successful company. It was inaccessible to a guy from Liverpool at that time. Well I thought it was.
Cath : Hey, Mr Chat Man - pick my question - How did you get to be on the programme in the first place?
Yelhsa : How did you get picked for the show?
Paul O'Hare : Purely through advertising my company on the internet. Channel 4 contacted me along with 300 other companies and the rest, as they say, is history.
Sandra : Does your wife share your new enthusiasm for art?
FreeThinker : What did the wife think of your work?
Paul O'Hare : My wife thinks my work is fantastic. She shares my enthusiasm for life so they both go together.
mikey : Do you think this kind of life-change is possible without the aid of a tv documentary? (spelling)
studentMatt : do you think anybody could be an artist given the chance?
Paul O'Hare : I think it is possible without TV but you would still need pointers for the right direction. The TV crew make things so much easier though, it's true. I'm sure if you've got a passion for art, then anything is possible. I never thought I'd be able to do all this, but I have.
michelangelo : what did you dislike most about your encounter with the art world?
Paul O'Hare : The vulnerability that I had to expose myself to. And just generally being exposed to the general public; that was hard and was difficult to deal with.
Pez : what did you gain most from the experience?
Paul O'Hare : I've always valued life and that is down to what happened to me as a child. I'm glad that it happened and it's totally changed my life. If an opportunity like this comes along, grab it with both hands.
mjsimpson : Paul, thought baring your soul was very brave
Easton : You handled that really well - respect to that.
Lufbra Students : if you could do the programme again. What would you change about your approach to the project?
Paul O'Hare : I wouldn't change anything. I'd let it come at me exactly the same way as we did. I was happy with how we went about it and how I embraced it.
Chat Ed : OK y'all - our half hour is up now, so last three questions now, thanks....
Toxic : Has anyone reacted negatively to your transformation?
doris : do your family and friends view you in a different way??
Paul O'Hare : People from Liverpool are cynical and you get the odd doubter who will have a little pop at me, but most of them are positive. My mum and dad don't like my new haircut. My friends are all routing for me though.
orka : Paul, how much time do you spend on your art now?
jasper fritos : how many pictures did you produce in your 'production line' phase mentioned early on in the programme?
Paul O'Hare : I don't spend enough time on my art at the moment, but I'll rectify that. I had a 15 minute barrier to produce each piece of work; the show didn't show that bit. So about 380 in total.
Chat Ed : Last questions now...
Yelhsa : Whats your next move Paul?
Stephe : where can we watch your progress?
Paul O'Hare : Big Breakfast tomorrow morning and my exhibition at the E1 Gallery in Bethnal Green next week.
Chat Ed : That's it! Thanks for coming, Paul, that was fantastic. And thanks for all your questions, folks! Hope you all enjoyed it!
Paul O'Hare : Thanks for the support.
sean horsman : Good luck
enticed by tizer : Cheers, Pauli!
Sarah : Thanks Paul - nice one
scissors : good luck paul - keep up the great work
Colin B : well done
Paul O'Hare : I can't believe my luck that I've had this opportunity to explore all this.
timshelbourne : ooooooo we did Ed... thankyou sooooooo much......
mani : WICKED PAUL!!!
drunkdog : YEAH, NICE ONE MATE
indivisibleman : take it easy i wish you every success
Paul O'Hare : I'll embrace everything that comes to me now and just see where it runs to.
Chat Ed grins
Paul O'Hare leaves the room
