Alisa Ruzavina, a Waltham Forest based artist and National Park City Ranger, combines art, ecology, and social engagement to inspire a deeper sense of belonging to urban landscapes. Her work, rooted in the green expanses of Hackney and Walthamstow Marshes, revolves around encouraging people to reconnect with nature in busy city spaces. Through creative walks like “Reservoirs of Replenishment,” she guides participants in using their bodies to engage with nature, fostering a sense of oneness with their surroundings.
Last September we headed to Waltham Forest and joined Alisa on her Walthamstow Marshes and Wetlands walk; Reservoirs of Replenishment. Participants were asked to experience nature through wonder and embodied exploration. This immersive activity highlights her belief that understanding our place in nature requires moving beyond observation to physical presence—feeling the landscape as alive, rather than separate from our urban lives. Her unique approach, which encourages participants to consider the sentience of plants and other life forms, aims to shift cultural perspectives on how we coexist with the natural world.
Much of Alisa’s practice reflects her personal connection to these spaces. Her studio in Walthamstow Marshes allows her to live and work within the landscapes that inspire her. As an artist, she sees her role as crucial to reshaping urban attitudes towards land and ecology, advocating for a cultural shift that would treat all life forms with respect and empathy. Alisa envisions a world where plants and landscapes are afforded the same consideration as pets, imagining how this could transform urban planning, community priorities, and even personal values.
Her artistic output includes murals, sculptures, textile workshops, and public art, all designed to connect people with the more-than-human world and foster community interaction in public spaces. Projects like her natural dyeing and textile workshops involve community members in sustainable practices, bringing together art and ecology in hands-on, meaningful ways. These workshops don’t just teach new skills; they inspire reflection on the materials we use, the impact we have on our environment, and the beauty of a sustainable lifestyle.
Alisa’s commitment extends to collaborative projects, such as the William Morris Design Line, organised by Waltham Forest Council’s cultural team. This event, celebrated the creative spirit of Blackhorse Road and Argyll Estate, showcases local artists, open studios, and workshops, allowing residents to explore the area’s rich artistic culture. For Alisa, events like these represent vital opportunities to create a dialogue between the human and natural worlds, bringing the community together to celebrate creativity and nature in harmony.
In each of her endeavours, Alisa sees imagination as a critical tool for social change, using art to create spaces where new ways of relating to our environment can emerge. By blending ecological awareness with creative expression, she strives to help us envision and embody a more sustainable, compassionate world—one where urban landscapes become places of community, reverence, and growth. Alisa’s work invites us all to see nature as an integral part of urban life and challenges us to imagine cities where every green space is a place of connection and mutual respect.
Explore Alisa’s journey and her visionary projects further on her website alisa-ruzavina.com
