The Sea Lion Gallery started in 1993 as an additional way for Gary and Terri Lyon to sell their art work. In 1993 the gallery building was one of the smallest shops on the Homer Spit boardwalks. The new art gallery was a success the first year but limited by its small footage. It could fit about 15-20 people. Once inside that number of people would begin to feel crowded and then a mass exodus would occur. People would again begin to come back inside until that critical mass was reached, again mass exodus. The next few years small additions were made. In 1996 finally the roof came off and the front wall was extended out to eight feet, the full amount allowed by the boardwalk owner. A second floor was added for two rental suites. The gallery then began to enjoy great success and more adequately display the work of many other artists.

Today the Sea Lion Gallery enjoys a great reputation for exhibiting some of the finest Alaskan artists. The walls and display cases exhibit a good variety of both original work and limited editions. You might find an antique twined Aleut basket from the 1920's beside a finely carved contemporary Inupiat Eskimo walrus ivory needle case by Jerome Saclamana. A handsome original oil of Canada Geese by duck stamp artist John Lofgreen might hang on the wall beside a sold out original stone lithograph "Legend of Otter Woman" by Anchorage artists Jacques and Mary Regat. The Sea Lion is fortunate to be among the few galleries currently chosen by Karla Morriera to feature her vibrant, mystical hand-painted limited editions of sea creatures.