Welcome to NomadNess
Hey there, wanderer!
You’ve stumbled into NomadNess—a space where freedom meets purpose, and stunning panoramic landscapes are more than just art.
I’m Riaan Fourie, the heart behind this brand, and for nearly 25 years, I’ve been chasing horizons with my camera, capturing the wild beauty of South Africa and beyond.
Nomadness isn’t just a play on “nomad”—it’s a promise of no madness, a call to step outside, breathe deep, and live a little freer.
NomadNess is my creative heartbeat — a holding space for my photography and a brand that fuels my bigger dreams.
The Journey So Far
In 2023, after 25 years in advertising, I swapped traffic jams and a desk for actual dirt under my boots.
Now I’m a skills teacher at Silvermist Academy – a learning community quietly changing education for the better, right here on the stunning Silvermist Wine Estate in one of the most beautiful corners of Cape Town.
I teach media and personal branding to the older kids who are already dreaming of cameras and stories. In the Workshop In the Woods I teach basic woodwork, carpentry, metalwork, electrical basics and safe tool use to children as young as 3. We make things just for fun… and useful things too: benches for the classrooms, trellises for the veggie garden, and whatever the farm suddenly needs.
I’m also a qualified outdoor survival instructor with BOSWA. I run survival skills courses for kids of all ages in a beautiful eucalyptus forest on the estate in Hout Bay. (Yes, the same forest where the kids sometimes spot baboons stealing their snacks.)
Truly Blessed
My morning commute now involves dodging pigs, geese and occasionally a very confident sheep.
I get to work with kids, play like a kid again, and pass on the exact same skills my Dad taught me in our garage workshop when I was small.
Every single skill I teach a young soul feels a hundred times more rewarding than any advertising award and way better than stressing about ad campaigns, top lines, bottom lines, through-the-lines and impossible deadlines.
The Big Dream
I’ve got a wild, world-changing goal: to bring the Earthship Academy to Southern Africa. Picture this—three months in the USA, soaking up the skills to build sustainable, off-grid homes from recycled materials. Then, bringing that knowledge back to South Africa to launch an Earthship Academy right here. But it doesn’t stop there.
My ultimate vision is an Earth School—an outdoor, hands-on haven where kids learn to build, grow, and thrive in harmony with the planet. A place where they master practical skills, independence, and a love for living consciously—stuff modern schools often leave behind.
To make this happen, I need R300,000 to study at the Earthship Academy in the USA. It’s a big leap, but every step counts—and every photograph you buy brings me closer.
Why Nomadness Matters
NomadNess is more than a shop—it’s a movement. My limited-edition panoramic prints celebrate the raw, untamed beauty of South Africa, a country I adore.
They’re an invitation to play outside, to reconnect with nature, and to inspire the next generation.
With every purchase, you’re not just bringing home a piece of my journey—you’re helping me build a future where kids learn to live boldly, sustainably, and free.
So, grab a print, join the adventure, and let’s make some dreams real—together. Because out here, under the wide-open sky, anything’s possible.
