By VaNessa VerLee

Walking down Irving Street in the Outer Sunset, you may have passed by the sweet little community space called Sealevel, with its enthusiastic canine mascot, Finn, happy to greet passersby from the window. Unlike Finn, founder Jeana Loraine prefers to stay out of the spotlight, focusing on creating safe spaces for others to shine.

A California native, Loraine moved to Zurich at age 7 and spent 28 years there, but never felt like she fit in.

“I never felt like I fit in anywhere,” she said.

Her fondest memories were trips to San Francisco with her dad, where she always felt a spark.

“Our move here (in 2013) was a leap of faith,” she said.

She and her husband arrived without a job, home or community, and settled in the Sunset, the only affordable option. Initially, the weather was hard to adjust to.

“I love the sun,” she admitted, “but the fog has grown on me.”

Loraine’s first job in town was at Devil’s Teeth Bakery, which became the seed of the vibrant community she is now part of. After six months on Noriega Street, they moved to Irving Street, next to the space where Sealevel would later be born.

“Living in the Sunset District has given me a sense of belonging I hadn’t felt before,” she shared. “I felt like home for the first time here.”

In her 20s, after being kicked out of art school for refusing to conform, Loraine dreamed of building a creative space on her own terms.

For 20 years, along with creating her own artwork, she has worked remotely for Zurich’s “el Lokal,” designing nautically-themed posters each month for its live shows. Now, as el Lokal transitions out of live music, she’s completing her final poster for them and looking forward to focusing fully on Sealevel.

What began as a shared studio with friends has evolved into a thriving space for community events.

“I’m comfortable with most aspects of running the space because of my experience in hospitality, where I learned to make people feel seen and cared for,” she said. “I envisioned a space like this in my early 20s, though I never saw anything exactly like it.”

“With the growing popularity, I’ve had to step more into the spotlight. It’s a challenge for me, but I’m learning to manage it. I focus on spotlighting the space and the people involved rather than myself,” Loriane said.

She began with pop-ups, including a collaboration with Braid Bakery, and hosted her first music show, with Jacob Aranda and Sara Gallagher, about a year and a half ago. Last summer, the “Summer in the Sunset” exhibition featured 19 local artists, establishing Sealevel as a community hub. This year’s exhibition, featuring 23 artists, is up now.

One of the most loved events at Sealevel is an open mic session started by local musician Sami Freeman, held on the last Thursday of each month. Other events include a solo theater performance curated by Jeremy Greco, a twice-monthly watercolor class, a songwriter circle hosted by Grammy-nominated artist Frances England, an “ambiguous grief” group, writing circles, sea urchin dyeing workshops and more.

Loraine describes Sealevel as a “third space,” beyond home or work, fostering creativity, connection, and engagement. Events are capped at 36 people and the space feels like a cozy living room, encouraging participation.

Accessibility is a core value, with many free and “no one turned away for lack of funds” events. Artists are fairly compensated. It has been important to Loriane to support those who might not otherwise have access to community resources like this. Sealevel has been self-funded, but she is exploring sustainable ways to keep it going, including using event revenue to cover costs.

Loraine recently launched “Sealevel Kin,” a membership program offering various tiers of sponsorship with exclusive benefits, as a way to support local arts in this intimate, safe, collaborative and inclusive Sealevel way.

“Even $5 a month makes a big difference,” Loraine shared. “It adds up.”

As Loraine finishes her final project for el Lokal, she is hopeful Sealevel can continue.

“I’m considering how to sustain and possibly grow the space,” she said. “Right now, my focus is on covering essential costs and continuing to build momentum. In the future, I’d like to expand to accommodate up to 50 people. The original location of The Lost Church, in the Mission District, was a model for me. Its intimate, magical setting with about 50 seats was inspiring.”

She encourages everyone to visit the Sealevel website to learn more and participate in the Sealevel Kin program, at any level they are able. Or just stop by.

“I’m always open to collaboration ideas and encourage people to come experience the space firsthand. It’s all about creating a co-creative environment where everyone can contribute and feel welcome.”

Sealevel is located at 4331 Iriving St. Learn more at sealevelsf.com.