AVAT’ART

David, Paint to Learn. Paint to Pass It On. By Jordan Kreamer

In the custom world, some guys are trying to make a name for themselves. Others are simply trying to make their next build better than the last. David Citerneschi, better known as Avat’art, is definitely one of the latter. Based in Neudorf, one of Strasbourg’s neighborhoods, David’s shop sits just a few miles from the German border. From there, he has built his career around a simple mindset: learn, experiment, and keep pushing himself. “I like putting myself in danger.”

Art Comes First

The name Avat’art was no accident. The word “Avatar” comes from the idea of transformation and change. Pretty fitting for a guy whose job is all about transforming machines. With Avat’art, David also wanted to put the artistic side of his work front and center. He wanted something that stood apart from the usual names in the custom paint game. David got into drawing, graphic design, and decoration at an early age. Bikes naturally found their way into his world. His parents were already riding Milwaukee V Twins. But his first real graphic influences came from skateboarding. The Bones Brigade. The early days of Steve Caballero and Tony Hawk. Santa Cruz and Powell decks. That whole American skate culture left a serious mark on him. “It wasn’t motorcycle custom work, but there was definitely a connection.” Graffiti was part of that journey too. David painted a few murals and developed an interest in working outside the usual motorcycle scene. After training as an automotive painter, he quickly realized that knowing how to paint was only part of the game. He wanted to develop his eye. He wanted to learn how to create. So he took evening classes at a fine arts school and continued teaching himself along the way.

Never Stop Learning

For David, learning was never something you simply finish. Over the years, he searched for new techniques, books, references, and inspiration. A lot of it came from the United States. Striping. Illustration. Airbrush. He likes getting his hands into different disciplines. His approach is almost like training. He digs deep into one technique, then comes back to it and finds ways to connect it with everything else. “At some point, they all have to work together. It never stops.” That constant search for improvement also explains why David can have a hard time calling a project finished. The budget might be set. The deadline might be set. But if the result still isn’t there, he keeps going. “That’s because I’m passionate about it. Clearly.” That mindset also comes from taekwondo. David practiced for years, eventually becoming president of a club and a national referee. The same mentality followed him into the shop. Never settle. Never stop improving.

Finding the Right Direction

When a customer walks into David’s shop with an idea, he doesn’t just pick up a paint gun and start working. First, he wants to understand the person behind the bike. Their taste. Their style. Their motorcycle. And what they see themselves doing with that bike a few years down the road. For David, a paint job has to feel personal. That is also why he refuses to copy another artist’s work. “Today, I only do customization, with original designs.” A project might start with a few rough sketches. Sometimes it begins with a fully developed drawing. What matters is the freedom the customer gives him. Give David some room to create, and he can take the project somewhere else entirely.

More Than Bikes

Over the years, David’s work has traveled far beyond Alsace. Germany. Switzerland. Belgium. Luxembourg. Even Thailand. The bikes and projects now come from much farther away. But for David, custom culture has always been about more than the machines. It is about the people. He was also behind the creation of the paint event at Punta International. After years of pushing the organizers, he finally helped make it happen. The idea was simple. Get the painters together. Behind the contests, trophies, and bikes on display, there are plenty of artists spending most of their time alone in their shops. “If you don’t go out and meet people, you don’t see anyone.” For David, connecting with other artists matters just as much as winning a trophy.

Pass It On

David also runs workshops at his shop. Pinstriping. Illustration. Lettering. Airbrush. Gold and silver leaf. He opens the door to people who want to learn and get better, including plenty of amateurs. Some artists see teaching as a risk. Why train the guy who might eventually become your competition? David doesn’t see it that way. What he wants to pass on is bigger than technique. It is passion. Artistic culture. And the simple desire to create something with your own hands. He also knows the custom scene is changing. Some professionals are moving on to other things. That makes passing knowledge on even more important. It is one of the ways you keep the culture alive.

Keep the Fire Burning

That might be what defines Avat’art best. Behind the perfectionist painter is simply a guy who is still learning, experimenting and looking for the next way to push things further. His approach has changed over the years. The drive has not. “I don’t approach projects the way I did in the beginning, but the desire to push myself and challenge myself is still just as strong.” And that passion matters because custom painting isn’t exactly a get-rich-quick business. David is pretty clear about that. In France, you don’t get into custom paint to get rich. It takes time. It takes investment. And above all, it takes passion. Maybe the people who stick around are simply the ones who still want to learn, improve and challenge themselves. Custom culture isn’t just about motorcycles. It lives through the people who draw. The people who paint. The people who create. And the people who pass it on. David chose to keep learning. And he chose to keep teaching others along the way.

One Last Round

I always like ending my interviews with a few questions that have nothing to do with the actual job. They usually tell you a little more about the person behind the bike and the paintbrush. If David were a band, he’d pick Justice. The energy of their live shows. And especially the track New Lands. A Harley-Davidson engine? A Shovel. And a beer? “I wouldn’t be a beer. I’d be a pastis. An old-school pastis.” Justice on stage. A Shovel in the frame. An old-school pastis in the glass. A little character, energy and strong old-school attitude. And above all, being comfortable with who you are.