Why I Create
I create to connect. To spark reflection. To build bridges between people, generations, and ideas. Whether through Vibes & Virtues, Wildcard, or community-rooted projects like The Black Cherry Tree, my work is designed to invite others in — to turn conversation into culture, and culture into healing. I’m inspired by the belief that we have far more in common than we do different. Beneath the noise and division, we all carry questions, stories, and longings that deserve space to be seen, heard, and explored. Art, music, and gameplay are just the tools — the real mission is to help people remember who they are, what matters, and how much we need one another.
Quick Facts: Carey Fountain
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Multidisciplinary Artist, Musician & Cultural Strategist
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Based in Birmingham, Alabama
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Founder of Vibes & Virtues:
A creative universe blending games, art, and reflection
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Creator of Wildcard:
A two-year, evolving art-and-music project that turns community dialogue into themed songs, visual works, and interactive experiences, rewarding participation with collectible “Vibe Tokens” that can be redeemed for art, access, or other meaningful goods. -
Founder of The Black Cherry Tree Project:
Memorializing racial terror victims through trees and public art -
Known for:
Mixing deep strategy and soulful storytelling across mediums -
Mission:
To help people connect, reflect, and remember what truly matters
A strategic, conversation-driven game for reflection, connection, and bold decision-making.
Vibes & Virtues isn’t just a card game — it’s a catalyst. Designed to spark deep conversations and strategic play, it invites people to move past small talk into meaning. From classrooms and family nights to date nights and wellness retreats, V&V is reshaping how we connect.rewarding engagement over transaction.
Key Features:
- 324 question cards across two decks (After Dark & Family Ties), as well as 56 specialty cards to add unexpected twists and tactics.
- Strategic gameplay that rewards social deduction and emotional intelligence
- Wildcard specialty card — scan a QR code for a random deep prompt or ask your own
- Expands into music, exhibitions, and NFTs through the Wildcard initiative
- Playable with 2-12 players | Ages 7+ | Avg. play time: 30–90 mins
A cross-medium exhibition rooted in Vibes & Virtues’ themes of reflection, storytelling, and earned experience
Wildcard is the artful evolution of Vibes & Virtues — transforming its question-based gameplay into a multi-sensory, participatory archive of dialogue, music, and visual art. Spanning two-year cycles, it redefines how value is assigned in the art world by rewarding engagement over transaction.
Even Years: Music & Fashion: Each of the 13 monthly themes inspires an original song and clothing capsule. From Roots of Love to Patriot Paradox, each release expands the emotional and cultural depth of the V&V universe.
Odd Years: Puzzle Paintings & NFTs: Each song connects to a physical artwork forming a 13-piece puzzle mural. NFT holders gain access to private Discord channels for each theme—spaces for dialogue, reflection, and shaping future cycles.
Wildcard Specialty Card: Included in all V&V decks, the Wildcard card invites players into the ethos of the exhibition through a QR code linking to bonus prompts and challenges—or a moment of self-authored inquiry.
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Participatory Model: Visitors earnVibe Tokens—redeemable for NFTs, prints, vouchers, and future bidding rights—by completing prompt-based reflections and interpersonal challenges, either in-gallery or on Discord.
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Ownership = Engagement: From puzzle-ledger walls to intimate headphone stations, Wildcard invites people to co-author meaning. Final mural pieces can be awarded not by price, but by participation.
A commemorative art and native tree-planting initiative honoring lynching victims and confronting racial violence through community dialogue.
The Black Cherry Tree Project is a commemorative arts and education initiative rooted in Jefferson County, Alabama. It honors the 33 documented African Americans who were lynched in the county through public art, native tree plantings, and community dialogue. Each memorial tree is paired with a unique artist-designed marker and a QR code that links to digital stories, a growing collection of commemorative artworks created by community members in honor of each lynching victim and archival materials about the victim’s life and legacy.
Through collaboration with local artists, educators, and justice advocates, BCTP fosters spaces for remembrance, healing, and critical conversation about the legacy of racial violence and the ongoing impact of white supremacy. The project commissions original artwork, facilitates public exhibitions, and supports education programs that bridge history with present-day injustice.
While it currently operates in Jefferson County, BCTP’s long-term vision is national: to plant native trees and install memorials in communities across the U.S., creating a replicable model that other local groups can adopt. In doing so, BCTP aims to build a network of “branches” that collectively challenge systemic racism and uplift public memory through the enduring power of art and nature.
Turning dialogue into action — one experience at a time.
Carey Fountain designs participatory experiences that blend art, dialogue, and social impact. With over a decade of experience across museums, nonprofits, and grassroots initiatives, he has led dynamic programming that bridges cultural strategy with community connection.
Vibes & Virtues Activations: As Founder and Creative Director of Vibes & Virtues, Carey produces immersive, conversation-driven events that combine card gameplay, music, and live storytelling. These pop-up experiences — commissioned by museums, schools, and companies — are tailored to explore themes ranging from joy and identity to equity and collective healing.
Program Leadership & Workshop Facilitation: Through roles at ArtsRevive, the Birmingham Museum of Art, Coleman Center for the Arts, and now as Director of Programs & Partnerships at Foot Soldiers Park, Carey has developed and led public programs that center inclusivity and civic dialogue. His workshop style draws from his artistic practice — mixing discussion, prompts, and participatory reflection — and has been applied in both institutional and community contexts.
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Community Dialogue & Healing Work: Carey’s founding of the Black Cherry Tree Project demonstrates his commitment to healing through creativity. From tree plantings to commemorative exhibitions, BCTP has hosted public conversations on race, justice, and remembrance across Birmingham, using art as a starting point for meaningful exchange.
Speaking Engagements & Panels: As a recognized thought leader in cultural organizing, Carey regularly speaks on topics including creative entrepreneurship, public memory, arts-based community engagement, and independent storytelling. His panel and keynote appearances draw from both lived experience and leadership in the field.
Images. Audio. Moments. All in one place.
Forthcoming in 2026, Wildcard (2025): War Ship - A genre-bending gospel/hip-hop compilation by Carey Fountain — reimagining worship, reflection, and what a creative “off-year” can become.
While Wildcard typically alternates between music (even years) and visual art/NFTs (odd years), War Ship marks a powerful artistic evolution. Though not part of the main 2025 Wildcard theme cycle, this gospel/hip-hop compilation sets a precedent for how Carey may approach “art years” moving forward — using them to explore more personal, faith-led sonic territory beyond community-defined themes.
Entirely self-produced and curated by Fountain, War Ship invites global collaborators — from Brazilian MCs to soul singers and trap poets — to each uplift their personal understanding of God through sound. With boom-bap grit, trancey synths, and melodic praise, the project challenges the genre while keeping worship at its center.
The cover art also continues Wildcard’s four-year visual puzzle arc. War Ship’s artwork represents the second quadrant of a larger image that will unfold across all "Wildcard" music releases from 2024–2028. A Wildcard (2025) NFC keychain, mirroring that same quadrant design, will release in early 2026 — granting access to a faith-based private Discord channel, 20% off V&V merch, and exclusive audio content. Like its predecessor, the collectible keychain fits into a limited 200-piece run and contributes to the overarching Wildcard design puzzle.