MEET THE ARTIST BEHIND THE BAR: JESSE BROWN

This year we are delighted to bring you our four seasonal Bakery Series chocolate bars wrapped in beautiful imagery, evocative of the festive bustle in the run up to Christmas at the bakery, by illustrator Jesse Bevan Brown.

We recently caught up with Jesse to delve a little deeper into his work as an artist, his design, and design process. 

Tell us a bit about yourself as an illustrator / designer. What makes you tick?
I’ve been drawing since I was a child, it was always my favourite thing to do, but I started taking it seriously a few years ago. I am very fortunate that I get to do it all day every day. I like working quickly in watercolour and ink, trying to get images on paper in a loose and fluid way. I love drawing people going about their day to day business, capturing their characters and their interactions with little gestures and movements. I love colour, especially green, so I try to get as much colour in as possible.

What drew you to this Pump Street Chocolate packaging design brief?
This was a bit of a dream brief, creating an illustration for a lovely client with a great product. I was given a lot of freedom to come up with ideas, and was able to just paint something joyful and fun.

What research did you carry out before starting your design process?
I started by looking at the bakery, and scrolling through the Pump Street instagram pages, where there are lots of images of the people that make it come alive; plus all the images of their lovely baked goods. I also looked at scenes from the Suffolk countryside and village life for inspiration.

What inspired your design?
I wanted to create a little window into the life of the Pump Street bakery, the bakers pulling cakes from the ovens, customers coming in from the cold to pick up their panettone, or taking a break from their Christmas shopping for a reviving cup of coffee.

Talk us through the use of colour in your design.
It was very easy to create a colour palette for this project, as Pump Street has a strong, distinctive identity. I was initially inspired by the beautiful pink of the bakery itself. I then added a palette of pastel blues, purples to compliment the colours used in the existing packaging. I also added a touch of green for a Christmassy element.

Did you try any Pump Street Chocolate to get inspired?
Yes I certainly did, I particularly love the Sourdough & Sea Salt 66% Bar. My kids have been eating the Madagascar Milk 58% Bar. We are now as a family working our way through the Christmas editions.

What other projects are you currently working on, anything exciting?
I have been painting a lot of Christmas commissions, which are always fun. I’m working on the brand identity for a new members club. I’m also illustrating a children’s book about a cantankerous cat.

How can we follow you and see more of your work?
You can find me on Instagram @jessebevanbrown or my website www.jessebrown.co.uk