The legendary Spinnerei, a former industrial complex in Leipzig, is gearing up for its next open house on September 21-22, when it becomes an artistic mecca for up to 15,000 collectors and enthusiasts. For DW, Maeshelle West-Davies photographed several Spinnerei artists in their ateliers. This work by Jochen Plogsties, characterized by textures and layering, marks a dramatic shift in his style.

Jochen Plogsties turns to the old masters for answers. His formal education taught him all about technique. Now he's exploring the math behind aesthetics and has found that equations continue to affect how we view things today. His studio is littered with books, post cards and magazines, many of which he's drawn grids on. Print affects colors and moods, but can't change the proportions, he says.

Jochen Plogsties' spectrum is very broad and some of his works are more architectural and graphic. After winning the Art Prize from the Leipziger Volkszeitung in 2011, experts started taking a closer look. His artworks will be exhibited at the ASPN gallery in Leipzig from September 21 to November 9, 2013.

Candace Goodrich is branching out from her formal training at New York's Academy. She's working with processes and finding the line between control and letting materials find their own way. One material she's been working with is tar, which can have a wide variety of applications.

For 4th of July, Goodrich worked on the theme of neo-colonialism and created installations exposing American companies and their involvment in developing countries. She encased tar in resin in the form of a lung in response to her granfather's death from lung cancer. This piece and others will be shown in "70.000+" in conjunction with Pink Shoe Day, a project to raise awarness for breast cancer.

Goodrich is busy working on the final show of the one-year residency project One-Sided Story, which she directed at the Spinnerei. It played host to 38 artists, mainly from the US and Croatia. The final show, Wasser Schöpfen/ZAGRABITI, will be held in Zagreb in October. Goodrich will be exhibited in the "70,000+" breast cancer project as well as during the Spinnerei open house on September 21-22.

"What is art?" is a question that no longer concerns Hans Aichinger, who is secure in his identity as an artist. When I enter his studio, I notice that one wall is all wood. He explains that it's his adjustable easel, based on something he saw in Gerhard Richter's studio. Hans admired Richter "when he was young." Now there is a book on Caravaggio opened on his work table.

From afar, the work looks like photo realism, but as I get closer I see wonderful, almost worm-like lines that create a whole new dimension. Having been through many stages and styles, Hans says the installation is now complete. He has found his voice. A moment later he admits that every phase he's been through with the work felt like it was his last - so who knows what tomorrow will bring.

Once Aichinger finishes a painting, he turns it over to the gallery maerzgallery and moves on. Aichinger paints about 10 works per year. His process is quite involved, beginning with detailed sketches. Like Caravaggio, he often paints people he knows - sometimes in unflattering postions, which requires trust. Aichinger's works will be exhibited at maerzgallerie from September 21 to November 9.

Cisco Merel says his palette has become more subdued since coming to Germany from his native Panama. That is hard to believe because when I walk in the door I'm hit with an explosion of color. My mood immediatley rises and I start smiling. Maybe it's from the color or maybe it's because Merel is constantly smiling, too - and it's infectious.

At last year's open house, Merel's entire studio was dark and visitors walked up to a piece of tape on the floor. A projector read their silouette and projected it in geometric shapes of color. I kept going in and watching people play and dance and laugh. It was interesting to see how quickly they changed from very still and controlled to silly once they got past the awkward stage.

Merel says the pieces he's working on now will mark his departure from figurative painting. He wants to move into more organic forms in the future. These are created on the computer first and then transformed onto canvas with a combination of acrylic and spray paint. Ciso Merel's work is on exhibit at Saltfineart Gallery in Los Angeles through October 31.