By Kirk Charlton
Success Stories
Real people. Real transformation. Real hope.

Doing art with, I had a chance to reflect on myself. He’s helped me relax through art & recognize my feelings or emotions when im around a crowd, with family, with friends, & being by myself, which I didn’t realize. He’s a great guy, and he does a lot to give back & help people through art & words of encouragement & wisdom. I am grateful for his positive act of kindness & I respect his willingness and efforts to help out people with addictions & for me in incapacitated individuals
AIO Student

I really appreciate Kirk and his class, he taught us, I think we all enjoyed the art teaching and speech
AIO Student

It was a pleasure to meet Kirk, he was very skilled & his program was very unique & special. He convinced me to get back into my art, a passion I had when I was a kid. His passion had reached many & changed my life. Keep it up brother, and if you ever need a hand lol (start drawing)
cedric tassart aka P.T

Thank you ! Kirk for your time and helping me connect through art even though i’m not very good. I still tried from the streets, homelessness, to treatment, and finding a house We just need to keep moving forward and continue on a much positive path revolving Thank you !
John F.
Program Impact
- 5% recidivism rate for AIO graduates (compared to 50% state average)
- Active in prisons, recovery centers, and reentry programs
- Hundreds of participants have completed the curriculum since 2016
Before & After
Participants leave with a renewed sense of identity, the tools to manage stress, and the mindset to build a better life. Art becomes the foundation—not just for creativity, but for self-control and empathy.
Stay in touch with Kirk
Get news about Art Inside Out and Events
BOOK STORE
Art Inside Out
Welcome to Art Inside Out! We call it AIO for short. Relax and believe that you will benefit from this program. If you think about it, we use a lot of the same methods in creating art that we use to better our lives.
Art is fun! We all want to create and produce something. When we are unaided and unlimited, our creative minds are in overdrive and will create and entertain. This is powerful and an opportunity to introduce positive dialogue.
This is a recovery program that will naturally elicit a genuine response from you. The primary goal of Art Inside Out is to use creativity as a vehicle to get to your true and genuine self. In other words, who you were meant to be.
Art Inside Out will combine Art and encouraging material to help create a better you. When we are isolated and alone, we do a lot of thinking and ruminating about our lives thus far. AIO believes that this can be a time to be creative and productive.
About the Author
Kirk Charlton, creator of the Art Inside Out program, is committed to using art as a powerful tool for personal growth and self-discovery. With a lifelong passion for creating, Kirk has experienced the transformative benefits of art in fostering confidence and self-worth. He shares his own story of overcoming feelings of insignificance, helping others to recognize their value and importance. In addition to his program, Kirk is the award-winning illustrator of Daddy, Are You a Duck? and the author and illustrator of the I Want to Be children’s book series.
Through Art Inside Out, Kirk guides participants to understand how creativity can bring beauty, purpose, and connection to their lives.
Art Inside Out : faith edition
Welcome to Art Inside Out! We call it AIO for short. Relax and believe that you will benefit from this program. If you think about it, we use a lot of the same methods in creating art that we use to better our lives.
Art is fun! We all want to create and produce something. When we are unaided and unlimited, our creative minds are in overdrive and will create and entertain. This is powerful and an opportunity to introduce positive dialogue.
This is a recovery program that will naturally elicit a genuine response from you. The primary goal of Art Inside Out is to use creativity as a vehicle to get to your true and genuine self. In other words, who you were meant to be.
Art Inside Out will combine Art and encouraging material to help create a better you. When we are isolated and alone, we do a lot of thinking and ruminating about our lives thus far. AIO believes that this can be a time to be creative and productive.
About the Author
Kirk Charlton, creator of the Art Inside Out program, is committed to using art as a powerful tool for personal growth and self-discovery. With a lifelong passion for creating, Kirk has experienced the transformative benefits of art in fostering confidence and self-worth. He shares his own story of overcoming feelings of insignificance, helping others to recognize their value and importance. In addition to his program, Kirk is the award-winning illustrator of Daddy, Are You a Duck? and the author and illustrator of the I Want to Be children’s book series.
Through Art Inside Out, Kirk guides participants to understand how creativity can bring beauty, purpose, and connection to their lives.
Art Inside Out: recovery edition
Welcome to Art Inside Out! We call it AIO for short. Relax and believe that you will benefit from this program. If you think about it, we use a lot of the same methods in creating art that we use to better our lives.
Art is fun! We all want to create and produce something. When we are unaided and unlimited, our creative minds are in overdrive and will create and entertain. This is powerful and an opportunity to introduce positive dialogue.
This is a recovery program that will naturally elicit a genuine response from you. The primary goal of Art Inside Out is to use creativity as a vehicle to get to your true and genuine self. In other words, who you were meant to be.
Art Inside Out will combine Art and encouraging material to help create a better you. When we are isolated and alone, we do a lot of thinking and ruminating about our lives thus far. AIO believes that this can be a time to be creative and productive.
About the Author
Kirk Charlton, creator of the Art Inside Out program, is committed to using art as a powerful tool for personal growth and self-discovery. With a lifelong passion for creating, Kirk has experienced the transformative benefits of art in fostering confidence and self-worth. He shares his own story of overcoming feelings of insignificance, helping others to recognize their value and importance. In addition to his program, Kirk is the award-winning illustrator of Daddy, Are You a Duck? and the author and illustrator of the I Want to Be children’s book series.
Through Art Inside Out, Kirk guides participants to understand how creativity can bring beauty, purpose, and connection to their lives.
I Want to be an Artist
A valuable painting is missing from the art museum. Can Kirk and Jilly solve the mystery?
Take a trip to the museum and learn about different kinds of art. In the end, you may want to be an artist too.
I Want to be a Marine Biologist
IWANNABE Inspirational Books for Children By Kirk Charlton All Illustrations Hand Drawn by Kirk Charlton
I Want to be a Jazz Musician
IWANNABE Inspirational Books for Children By Kirk Charlton All Illustrations Hand Drawn by Kirk Charlton