Creative Team

Our creative team includes imaginative people from all walks of artistic life.
Here’s a partial list of our incredible roster:

The PIE Project is an extraordinary group of talented musicians and artists who share two characteristics: They have an undeniable passion for music, and they want to make sure that their love for music is passed along to future generations. (Plus, they’re all really cool!) The PIE Project is a revolving group; our artists participate as their schedule allows. When they’re not powering their imaginations for PIE Labs, our superb musicians tour independently and pursue active careers as “grown-up” performers.

Peter was born, raised in Ohio, yet always dreamed of living in Florida. And then, in 1989, during Pete's junior year of high school, a fifteen minute segment on The Wonderful World of Disney changed his life forever. It was a segment on the making of The Little Mermaid. "I can do that," Pete said to himself, without even knowing what THAT quite was. Nonetheless, he went to college at The Columbus College of Art and Design with the specific goal of becoming an artist for Disney Studios in Orlando. As fate would have it, that dream came true in 1996, when he was hired to work on Mulan, which was fully developed and produced in Disney's Orlando studio. Pete went on to work in character animation on the three full feature films that Disney's Florida Studio produced (Mulan, Lilo and Stitch, and Brother Bear), and assisted on several others (including Tarzan and The Emperor's New Groove). During that time, his true passion shifted from drawing and animation to writing and storytelling. Disney closed the Florida Studio shortly after finishing Brother Bear, and ever since, Pete has worn several different hats, including that of writer, illustrator, storyboard artist. He still lives, writes, and enjoys his life in Florida with his wife, Dorothy, and their basset hound named Billie. 

Born in Selma, AL at the height of the civil rights demonstration era, Don Smith grew up traveling from location to location in the Air Force. Finally settling in West Texas, he pursued his first passion, music, playing guitar and singing in band after band. In 1982, Don left the music industry to begin a career in the field of animation. He worked as the Director of Animation for Austin, TX animation company, UMA Mirage, until it’s closing in 1989. Feeling ready to take on the world himself, Don founded Heart of Texas Productions, Inc. in 1989. The company grew very quickly and by 1995 was doing contract work for such industry luminaries as Dreamworks Feature Animation (The Prince of Egypt), Warner Bros Feature Animation (Space Jam, The Quest for Camelot), Nickelodeon, MGM Animation, and Disney Interactive. The company’s growth continued until 1999, when, due to the trend toward offshore outsourcing, Don had to close the doors of Heart of Texas. In 2000, Don accepted a position as Director of Animation and Graphics for educational software developer, Ignite Learning, Inc. Don continues to live in Austin, Texas.

Melody A. Long has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Vocal Music Education from Stephen F. Austin State University and holds Master of Music in Music Education with Kodaly Emphasis from Sam Houston State University. Teaching at Brykerwoods Elementary School in Austin Independent School District since 1985, Ms. Long has introduced many children to the joys of music. The Metropolitan Opera Guild trained Melody for the Creating Original Opera Program, which she implemented at Brykerwoods Elementary in 1999. She leads summer camps through this process for the Armstrong Community Music School of Austin Lyric Opera. Ms. Long also consults as a writer for IDEAS Press, designing listening maps and creating lessons. In addition, Ms. Long has an active performance career. She began performing in the first grade and has been in numerous musicals and operas since then, including productions with Austin Musical Theater/Broadway Texas, Austin Gilbert and Sullivan Society and Austin Lyric Opera where she has been a chorus member since 1991.