About Holdfast Magazine

Hello! My name is Dayna Brown, I am the Founder, Designer, Lead Editor, and Co-Creator of Holdfast Magazine. Holdfast Magazine was co-created by Emma Barton and I in my apartment kitchen during autumn 2025 when a discussion about Monterey Bay's incredible creative community turned towards something a little more concrete.  Monterey's lush community of artists, writers, environmentalists, and creatives need to be celebrated and showcased. Our little corner of the world is special. Let's show it off. 

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In a world increasingly driven towards digital mediums, a print magazine stands out. Holdfast stands as testament that what matters is right in front of us, from the abundant waters of the Pacific Ocean to the community who stands strong in the tides of life and time. The goal of Holdfast Magazine is to celebrate and display local art and creations of the Monterey Bay area. If you have ties to the Monterey area and dedicate your time to creating something, be it paintings, photography, articles, illustrations, jewelry, scientific communication or more, you have a home here. We are all transplants in someway, drifting in currents until our roots catch somewhere we can grow. I hope Holdfast Magazine helps you find that space.

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When naming this magazine, we knew we wanted something that both represented our community and the deep ties we have to the ocean in our backyard. ‘Holdfast’ felt right from the start. Giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) and Bullwhip kelp (Nereocystis luetkeana) are staples of the Monterey Bay. Kelp’s incredible resilience, no matter storm or fair weather, clinging to stone and the sandy ocean floor, reminds us of the people and love that this community has woven together. Yes, it gets roughed up. Yes, it breaks and struggles. But it grows back with vigor. We are the holdfast, sticking steady in the waves. We are resilient and supportive, and we grow together.

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