Ben Smith
Designer | Artist | Director
Background
I grew up in a small house in Princeton New Jersey, where I shared an even smaller bedroom with my two brothers Nate and Tom. My parents believed that close quarters produce even closer friendships. The trick seems to have worked, since many years later we founded a company together called SilverTree Media.
Education
I recieved my Masters Degree from Carnegie Mellons Entertainment Technology Center, through the schools of Computer Science and Fine Art. The program takes artists, designers and programmers, and assigns them projects ranging from robotics, to theme park attractions, to virtual reality. My advisor was Randy Pausch best known for delivering "The Last Lecture".
Founding SilverTree
After graduating from Carnegie Mellon in 2004, my brothers and I founded SilverTree Media, a studio which specializes in making interactive experiences that combine art and technology. Our first project was to create an online virtual world for Disney.
10 Years Running
SilverTree was located inside Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh PA, and grew to include 25 programmers, designers, artists, and producers. In 2010 we moved the company out West to one of the most beautiful places in the country, Palo Alto California.
Interests
I love projects that combine beautiful art, intuitive design, and cutting edge technology, with the goal of enriching a specific audience. My personal skillsets have evolved over the years from sketching and painting, to 3D modeling and animation, to UI/UX design and programming.
Family
I have been blessed with a great family. My wife Leslye is the perfect partner on every Smith family adventure. She has the mind of an engineer, and the heart of an artist. Together we have three spectacular children, Lucy, Wyatt and Sophie.
Behind the Scenes
A short video featuring some of the back stage magic at SilverTree.
Sources of Inspiration
Favorite Books
Favorite Travels
