Susan Muther

For Susan Muther, the Catskills were never a strategic point on a map — they were a canvas calling her home. As a painter and designer, she sees these mountains not simply as landscape, but as living pigment — shifting hues, layered light, and the quiet dialogue between earth and sky. The region’s beauty is her muse, and its spirit infuses both her paintings and her life, each day offering new tones of wonder to interpret and share.

Like so many who fall under the Catskills’ spell, Susan first arrived as a New York City weekender — trading urban intensity for weekends of stillness and renewal. Yet what began as escape soon became alignment. The harmony between wild terrain and cultivated spaces, between rural rhythm and creative energy, formed a balance she couldn’t ignore. At some point, she realized she was no longer visiting — she had stepped fully into her own landscape.

Long before co-founding Catskill Country Living with her husband, Hazen Reed, Susan built a distinguished international career at the forefront of design and branding. She worked with the legendary firm Chermayeff & Geismar — pioneers of contemporary visual identity — and with global advertising powerhouse Saatchi & Saatchi, where storytelling and brand architecture shaped cultural conversation. She later served as International Design Director at PricewaterhouseCoopers, leading global design initiatives during a pivotal era of digital expansion.

Trained at the University of Cincinnati’s College of Design, Architecture, Art, & Planning, Susan approaches real estate with the eye of a strategist and the soul of an artist. She understands structure and narrative, proportion, and perception. She sees how light moves through a space, how line and material create emotional response — and how to position a property so its character resonates instantly, whether viewed in person or on screen.

In an era where the first showing happens digitally, Susan’s background in branding and global marketing becomes a distinct advantage. She doesn’t simply list homes — she composes them. Each property is curated and presented with the same rigor she once applied to international identity systems. Photography, narrative, audience targeting — every element is intentional. The result is marketing that reaches beyond the region, drawing discerning buyers from New York City, Boston, California, and beyond.

Her artistry extends beyond presentation. After over two decades of living, painting, and investing in the Catskills, Susan understands the subtleties that define place — how one valley holds light differently from the next, how communities shift with the seasons, how history and architecture shape value. Her understanding of place is both intuitive and deeply informed, allowing her to guide clients with a perspective that feels personal, not transactional.

Clients often describe her as patient, insightful, and infinitely kind — a calm, strategic presence guiding them through moments of transition. Whether helping first-time buyers or seasoned investors, she reveals not just the contours of a home but the lifestyle that unfolds within it.

Together with Hazen, she founded Catskill Country Living with a clear conviction: that exceptional homes deserve exceptional stewardship. She pairs sellers who cherish their properties with buyers who will carry their stories forward — ensuring each home’s next chapter unfolds with integrity, vision, and care.

The Catskills first called to Susan through color and quiet. Today, through her work, she helps others not only see their beauty — but recognize their value — one property, one story, one life at a time.