With an artistic flair and passion for the canvas from an early age, Xu Xiaoqing, a farmer from Shanxi province has created her own art exhibition dedicated to the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, Xinhua reported on Aug 14.

The 43-year-old, from the rural village of Changzhi, is displaying some 20 paintings featuring sporting heroes from across the globe.

This is not the first time Xu has dedicated her artistic expression towards the games, as in 2008, her and her friend Pang Xianyu, took an exhibition on tour around the province in honor of the Beijing Olympics.

This year, their works will be showcased in several cities including Taiyuan, Jinan, Beijing and her hometown of Changzhi.

The world-renowned athletes depicted on canvas include Chinese badminton player Lin Dan, and Russian tennis legend Maria Sharapova. Xu and Pang usually work together on each piece, with Xu providing the initial outline and Pang responsible for the bright and vivid coloring.

Xu expressed her desire that one day she would be able to exhibit some of the work overseas. "We draw famous sportsmen not only from China, but also from the other countries," Xu said.

Like the Olympic Games, the exhibition takes place every four years. Xu said she believes in the Olympic spirit of "Higher, Faster and Stronger" and wishes to promote that passion to every corner of society.

Without a stable revenue stream, the pair has had to jump between part-time jobs in order to fund their passion; however Xu said that she wouldn't give it up for the world.

A galley of paintings of world-renowned sports men and women created by Xu Xiaoqing. [Photo/Xinhua]