Ella Von Huene sat comfortably before their easel amidst a bustling crowd, sketching a new piece with a contour drawing-like approach: a set of buildings in the center of the canvas, with a rough, sweeping arm taking up the foreground.

A MassArt painting major, Von Huene’s live painting was one of the many attractions at the Brookline Teen Center (BTC) pop-up art gallery on Tuesday, March 21. The event featured student talent and was followed by the center’s weekly College Night featuring MassArt. The event sought to inspire high schoolers by displaying their work while also introducing them to career paths and colleges through the experiences of students such as Von Huene.

Interim Executive Director of the BTC and organizer of the night’s exhibition Paul Epstein praised the level of detail and creativity presented by the students’ showstoppers.

“The talent that’s on display here, it’s too good not to be shown to the world,” Epstein said. “Hang them on the walls of a gallery in Boston and they’d fit right in. It’s incredible.”

Von Huene agreed that the technique and imagination is impressive among the works, and they encouraged budding artists to take pride in their work as they continue to develop it as something more than just a hobby.

“There’s this myth that you can’t make a career out of doing art,” Von Huene said. “But more and more, I’m thinking I will be fine. I’m doing something that I love and that’s what counts. I can do this for the rest of my life.”

BTC Facilities Coordinator Gerry Frazier said that the pop-up exhibition was a great way to introduce students to art as a career, while also acting as a platform to showcase the students’ talent and allow their often under appreciated gifts to be noticed by a supportive audience.

“We need art, whether it be musicians, painters or graffiti artists,” Frazier said. “It’s almost like a hidden community. I want to be able to provide a space for them.”

Epstein added that committing to a career direction or future college can be intimidating, and he hopes to support students by providing an approachable space to explore their interests with these events.

“Keep stroking that passion,” Epstein said. “To give you a chance to exhibit your work as a gift.”

With over 40 pieces submitted by Brookline students, Frazier explained that this is only the beginning of the Teen Center’s initiative to encourage experimentation and individuality in education.

“I want to focus on the dirty, underground learning for the eclectic individuals,” Frazier said. “You don’t have to follow one path to evolve into something that you love and find a way to make a career out of it. It’s about finding yourself. That’s what I want all of my programs and events to be.”