Sheffield woodworker Ross Nixon lives his dream

Sheffield wood craftsman Ross Nixon (40) is finally living out his rediscovered passion.

Owner of Nixon Woodcraft, he produces pieces that he hopes will reflect his sophisticated, but rustic and functional style.

It has been a long path to get to this point. He recalls a teacher steering him and his parents away from more practical school subjects.

“Although I had always liked fixing things, I was made to feel as if I shouldn’t do anything with my hands. The teacher actually begged my parents not to let me do technical drawing,” Nixon said wryly.

It had the desired affect and he went through school pursuing a career in environmental management instead.

After spending 10 years running the Spirit of Adventure leadership camp in Shongweni, Nixon and his wife Laura left KZN to teach English in northern Japan in 2011.

It was here that the dormant passion for craft and hands-on work returned.

“We were right up in the north, where within minutes from our home there was a beautiful forest and river. In winter, we could snowboard close by, but in summer I needed to find an outdoor activity to occupy my time.”

“As a kid, I had always loved fishing and decided to get back into it.”

The equipment was very expensive, so Nixon decided to make his own.

“It started with a single painstaking lure. After a while, I became better at it and began to catch fish and that was unbelievably satisfying.”

The bug stuck and when the couple returned to Durban in 2015, Nixon sought out more hands-on work.

It was a chance meeting that changed his life and he joined two likeminded friends in a joint-venture.

But eventually it came time for Nixon to go out on his own full time.

“My brother-in-law was very generous and helped me to open my new space.”

Since opening in a reclaimed barn in Sheffield in 2019, Nixon has thrown himself into his craft, making bespoke furniture.

Three years in and Nixon has found solid ground and is now kept busy with commissions. He also works with kitchens and built-in cupboards.

Wherever possible, he uses reclaimed wood, including alien species as a way to protect the local biome.

Sometimes this means camphor, oftentimes reclaimed pine, but Nixon is open to using any wood that is fit for project.

All of his work is commission-based, although one can find some smaller items in stores across the North Coast, such as at The Plant Space in Sheffield.

Contact Ross at 076 833 3350 or visit his Instagram page, @nixonwoodcraftsa to find out more.

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