When lightning or a storm knocks down a tree in the bustling city of Nairobi, sculptor Irene Wanjiru is usually not far behind. She arranges to have the fallen tree — trunk, roots, and all — transported to her outdoor studio, where it becomes the raw material of her next round of carvings.

Among the most prolific artists in Kenya, Wanjiru has produced hundreds of works in both wood and stone, as well as paintings and mixed media pieces. She is always working, transforming found material, both natural and man-made, into art.

“What I love about working in Maine is the ocean,” Wanjiru said. “It brings everything I need right to me.”

Wanjiru has been creating magic from everyday materials at a seaside retreat in Southport this past summer, where she is visiting as the 2015 artist-in-residence of the Spillway Fund, a local arts and environmental organization.

Working with logs brought ashore by the tides, along with shards of glass, whole bottles, and strips cut from aluminum cans, Wanjiru has crafted over 24 sculptures, populating her outdoor workshop along the Sheepscot River with imaginative and vibrant creatures.

Giraffes, monkeys, and a Maasai warrior appear in her work, alongside more local creatures likes squirrels, cats and a seagull.

At once dramatic and playful, revealing and life-affirming, Wanjiru’s art draws on the life and spirit of the worlds she has lived in, from the abundant natural environment of her childhood along the Kenya-Uganda border, to the human drama in both rural and urban areas in east Africa and south Asia — and now, coastal Maine.

Learn more about Irene Wanjiru and her work at www.irenewanjiru.com.

Her residency will be celebrated Oct. 17 and 18 with an exhibition in Southport. All proceeds from sales of her work will go directly to New Hope for Women, a resource center offering support to people in Midcoast Maine affected by domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking. October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Reservations are necessary as space is limited. To attend the exhibition, arrange a viewing by appointment, or receive a catalog of the show electronically, contact the Spillway Fund at spillwayfund@gmail.com.

New Hope for Women offers support to people in Sagadahoc, Lincoln, Knox, and Waldo counties affected by domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking, and provides educational resources to assist our communities in creating a safer and healthier future.

The Spillway Fund seeks to help preserve and protect the natural environment of southern and Midcoast Maine by promoting clean energy, supporting sustainable agriculture, and encouraging a passion for the area’s unique natural heritage through arts residencies and education.