THERE are legions of Strictly Come Dancing fans across the country but it is doubtful if any have taken their love of the TV show to such heights as Maxime Xavier.

For the Lyme artist has painted all the winners since the series started in 2004.

As if that wasn't enough she's captured just how she completed some of the 5ft x 5ft canvasses with time lapse photography.

She said: "It means you see a blank canvass and you see me painting it in two minutes flat."

And right after Saturday's final she'll be starting the last canvas and filming the process for posterity.

She said: "I have already got my canvass ready and I will be painting as soon as the programme finishes, literally I will be painting through the night for as long as it takes.

"Hopefully it will be done in a few days."

After she's finished she hopes to persuade a gallery in London to exhibit them before they are sold.

She said: "I hope to get a gallery interested - the Saatchi gallery would be good! I think they deserve to be in London.

She has been very motivated by her Strictly project - especially as everything about the show appeals to her She said: "I love dancing - when you watch a dance it is very fleeting and if you can capture that moment and capture that essence and beauty in the painting then it can take your mind back to the actual dance.

"It is like a snap shot of the dance which in itself is only fleeting.

"I love the combination of music and figurative dance - the clothing is beautiful, the whole thing just leads to a beautiful painting I am in my element because I love dancing and I love painting and I love beautiful clothing and make up so I can wallow in it.

"It ticks every box and now all I need is a nice Russian to dance with myself."

Maxime has also brought out a book with 31 of her poems and paintings.

That's been another monumental project for her.

She added: "I am very dyslexic so I never knew I could write poetry."

But she is always brimming with ideas and keeps pen and paper by her bed at night to keep track of those ideas.

She said: "There is always something to do there is always another painting.

"Sometimes I wake up in the night and I have write my ideas down."

Some of her more notable ideas have included the Enigma code breaker Alan Turin and a scantily clad depiction of the Queen to mark her 60 years on the throne.

You can see examples's of Maxime's work on her website maximexavier.co.uk.

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