Articles and Awards
The Comox Valley Record
Esther was a finalist for the category Best Artist/Gallery in the 2020 and 2021 Comox Valley Record's Readers' Choice Awards competitions.
Esther was the winner for the category Best Artist in the 2017, 2018, and 2019 Comox Valley Record's Readers' Choice Awards competitions.
Art Journey Animals
2017
Esther was featured in the 2017 publication of Art Journey Animals.
AcrylicWorks 4
May 2017
Esther was featured in the May2017 Edition of Acrylicworks 4
AcrylicWorks 3
May 2016
Esther was featured in the May 2016 edition of Acrylicworks 3.
AcrylicWorks 2
February 2015
Esther was featured in the February 2015 edition of Acrylicworks 2.
Artists for Conservation
2013, 2014 & 2015
Esther has 2 paintings published in each edition of the Artists for Conservation books.
Art for an Oil-Free Coast
Esther is one of over 50 artists, including some of Canada’s most celebrated and many of whom are First Nations – took to the language of paintbrushes and carving tools to give a voice to our fragile coast.
Once completed, over 60 pieces of art, most of which are original, paintings, carvings, sculptures, and jewellery resulted. The art was then displayed in a travelling exhibition shown throughout British Columbia and Alberta. Although the exhibition is completed, you can still view the works in the book Canada’s Raincoast at Risk: Art for an Oil-Free Coast available online.
24th Annual Salmon Conservation Stamp
2012/2013
FIRST FEMALE WINNER OF SALMON STAMP ART CONTEST
VANCOUVER, BC (November 28, 2011) – A Comox artist has won the honour of having her painting of a Chinook salmon appear on the federal fishing license decal that generates money for conservation of wild Pacific salmon. This is the first time in 23 years that a woman has won the art contest, which is run by the Vancouver-based Pacific Salmon Foundation. The Recreational Fisheries Conservation Stamp, known as the “Salmon Stamp”, is a $6.00 postage-stamp sized decal that must be purchased annually by anglers if they wish to keep Pacific salmon caught in saltwater off Canada’s west coast.
Esther Sample’s acrylic painting, entitled Hunger Strikes, won the contest following several rounds of balloting by judges on November 16 in Vancouver. This was her first entry in the annual art contest. Sample, 36, is a mother of three who lives in Comox and was previously a commercial fisher.
BC Outdoors Sport Fishing Magazine
April 2012
As the Salmon Stamp winner, Esther's painting was on the cover of BC Outdoors Sport Fishing Magazine
for April 2012.
The magazine also included an article about Esther.
Island Arts Magazine
Fall 2013
Esther was the Featured Artist in the Fall 2013 Island Arts Magazine.
In Focus Magazine
April/May 2013
Esther was featured in the April/May issue of In Focus Magazine.