Words by Bella Glickman and Taylor Amico
Photos by Bella Glickman
{Goldie showing Taylor proper foot placement}
One of the most notable things about women’s surfing are mothers. We see women every day being kind out in the water, finding strength through their surfing, using the ocean to heal the healer within themselves. To me, mothers who share the joy of surfing enhance these qualities, so I was inspired to shoot with Taylor Amico.
Taylor is a mom of two little ones, Byron and Goldie. It’s clear that she and her husband Caleb have spent so much time pouring love and courage into their kids. Taylor is the type of mom that has so much energy, and you don’t know how she has it. The kids thrive off seeing their mom surfing and beg to paddle out with her. The kids trust her, and they see how the ocean keeps their mom grounded.
{Taylor's kids Goldie and Byron at Rincon}
As her child-less friend, I see how motherhood has given Taylor a glow, special powers is how I would describe it. After being a nanny for the majority of my working life, I know how hard it is to provide for, teach, and take care of children. On top of all that, being able to take care of yourself and enjoy your life. I wanted to know more about what Taylor thinks about surfing as a mom, how the culture of it all changes, and the legacy she is starting to build for her family.
Taylor used to surf on a professional level and traveled the world competing! She grew up surfing first point Malibu where she had the privilege of learning how to log from the best! At age 15, Taylor started riding for Bing Surfboards who she still rides for. After high school she moved to Hawaii to go to university. Hawaii was the first place Taylor called home, and it was a season in her life where she met friends who became family, surfed her brains out and really learned so much more beyond the classroom. At 24 she moved back to California, met my husband, and got married a year later!
{Taylor at Rincon in the Valentina surf suit}
"Our first year of marriage brought our son into the world all while my husband was on a Wildland hand crew fighting fires across California. It was a really gnarly way to enter into motherhood figuring it out solo while my husband was gone!
Three years later we welcomed our daughter into the world, and it was such a rough pregnancy because I was bedridden all while my husband was going through a new fire academy and my son was in prime toddler years - it was brutal! But we came out from the other side with such a fresh perspective and grateful hearts.
Motherhood has become a sanctifying and beautiful way to let surfing take a back seat and now I feel so stoked any time I can hop in the water!
I feel honored to be a part of this Mother's Day shoot for Seea because I absolutely love being a mom! In all honesty, I was very nervous and tried to back out of this campaign with Bella. My body changed so much and I'm not surfing as much as I used to, so it was humbling to be in front of the camera again!
This shoot made me realize I don't need to prove I'm a surfer because I've done that and in this chapter, I get to share this epic adventure of motherhood and the things I love with my kids and allowing them to do the same with me! I realized surfing will always hold a special place in my life but right now it's not center stage and for the first time in my life I am ok with that!" - Taylor Amico
Seea is honored to work with Taylor, hear her story, and express the beauty and complexity of motherhood.
{Taylor and her kids Goldie and Bryon at Rincon with their pup}
1. What is your favorite thing about being a mom?
My favorite thing about being a mom is seeing their little personalities develop. The greatest honor in my life is to see life through the eyes of my kids and to fall in love with new things they are passionate about!
2. How has motherhood impacted your surfing?
Surfing has become such a humbling experience since becoming a mom. It was hard to motivate myself to surf post kids because my body changed so much, and I lost a ton a strength. I was bedridden my entire pregnancy with my daughter and had a pretty traumatic birth. I made surfing hard for myself by putting this expectation on myself for far too long. I'm slowly learning to allow surfing to meet me where I'm at physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
3. Has surfing changed for you since becoming a mom?
I really hated surfing for a season becauseI went from surfing at a professional level to basically relearning how to surf after having a kid. For such a long time my body and mind were not connected and surfing really made that obvious. Thankfully, I am in a season where I can put more time into surfing and enjoy it again. I'm getting my sea legs back which is epic, but what is even BETTER is both my kids really love to surf. It's this full circle thing that I get to love surfing again because my kids love it and that's been super special.
4. What lessons has the ocean taught you that you could pass to your children?
BE RESPECTFUL
STAY HUMBLE
HAVE FUN
5. Do you believe that your journey into motherhood has given you new strength?
Absolutely! Motherhood has shown and taught me a new love that I have never experienced. This new love gives me the courage and strength to believe I can move mountains for my kids or die trying!
Thank you to Taylor for being humble, vulnerable, and sharing her motherhood story with us. At Seea, we are so thankful to our mothers who show us a love of the world, the ocean, and each other. Without their resilience and strength we would not be where we are today. Happy Mother's Day!
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