Katerina Tadenev Spaeth

Contact

Skills

• Visual Development
• Illustration
• Creative Writing
• Toy Design
• Graphic Design
• Adobe Creative Suite
• Wax Modeling
• Blender & ZBrush
• Brand Development
• Teaching

Languages

• English
• Russian
• Ukrainian

Profile

I enjoy finding creative solutions in design, teaching, illustration and writing.

Employment History

Author and Illustrator at Paw Prints

• I write and illustrate original stories for children.
• Completed Dedushka: Memories of My Grandpa and Ukraine in 2025.
• Completed Shy Steve in 2024. “A story with distinctive illustrations and a definitive message.” (Kirkus)
• Completed Grumpy Milo and Grumpy Grandpa in 2022.

Lecturer at San Jose State University, San Jose, CA

• I create effective curricula for design and foundations classes in the Animation & Illustration program.
• Taught Light & Optics, Visual Storytelling, Visual Principles, Color Principles and Illustration Fundamentals II.

Author and Illustrator at Each Story Matters

• Wrote and illustrated Mr. Daddy-Long-Neck Saves the Day.
• Story created by students at a New York City elementary school. Each Story Matters is a nonprofit supporting children's literacy.

Brand Builder at Lascaux Academy

• Designed a web site and logo for Lascaux Academy.
• Budgeted, formulated marketing plans, and did risk analysis.
• Grew customer base by 60% through social media marketing.

Keepsakes Ornaments Intern at Hallmark

• Completed several Keepsakes Ornaments using 3D modeling and wax sculpting.
• Conceptualized moving interior parts for mechanical ornaments.
• Created plush toy concept art for the Hallmark Plush Toy Team.

Art Instructor at Art School of SF Bay

• Taught various art skills in person and online to age groups 4–7, 8–12, and teens.
• Designed curricula adjusted to each age level.

Projects

Public Mural Celebrating Sunnyvale

Painted a mural celebrating the endangered Monarch Butterfly as a part of the Sunnyvale Art in Public Places program.

Pali and the Patchy Monster

Wrote and illustrated a children's book as the thesis project for my B.F.A.

Volunteer at the Puppetry Institute

Designed curricula for traditional animation classes and helped fabricate puppets.

Art History Symposium at de Young Museum

• Presented a paper on graphic designer Jason Munn at the 9th annual Undergraduate Art History Symposium.
• Designed the event's official poster.

Green Ninja Show

Prop designer and background painter for a children's cartoon about green living.

Education

BFA in Animation and Illustration, San Jose State University