Celebrating Jan Bodaan

Up to 100 people paid tribute to the life of Phillip Island artist and environmental activist Jan Bodaan last Wednesday.

Jan died in December at the age of 95, with the celebration at Berninneit covering her life as an impressionist painter - renowned for her portraits and paintings of the natural world - as well as her environmental activism and political campaigning.

Jan led an environmental battle against the proposed Salt Water Creek development at Ventnor in the '80s and she was also part of a campaign to ensure former Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett didn't return to office.

Mr Kennett had vast development plans for The Nobbies seal watching area.

In her early years, Jan enrolled in the National Gallery School in Melbourne to study painting full time.

She later spent many years on the Gold Coast, where she eventually won the prestigious Gold Coast Art Prize, and returned to Phillip Island a decade ago.