Tattoo Artist Makes Vision a Reality

After facing some controversy in the planning stages, Moorpark's only tattoo salon opened quietly early this year.

Rick Sutherland, one of the owners of Clear Vision Tattoos, would like people to know that his shop is different from the stereotypical tattoo parlor.

For instance, he said, he has no gang affiliations and he doesn’t allow drugs on the premises. The shop interior is neutral white with very little art posted in the waiting area. It also has an abundance of natural light and feels more like a hair salon than a tattoo studio.

“We’re here to create a very clean, friendly environment,” he emphasized, “where someone who doesn’t have a tattoo can feel comfortable.”

Sutherland started drawing when he was in junior high school. He was fascinated by the punk scene and comic book art, which catered to his pen-and-ink style. Some of his art caught the attention of a tattoo artist named Mush.

“Mush saw my art and said, ‘You ought to get into tattoo art,’ " Sutherland said. "It was Mush who taught me the basics. Then in 1990 I started working for Charlie Hyde in Simi Valley."

Sutherland claimed the practice of tattooing has changed dramatically in the last 20 years. He said the industry has better equipment, better technology and has taken big strides forward in sterile practices. In his shop, operators use gloves while tattooing and are required to make sure the nondisposable equipment is properly sterilized and that tattoo needles are legally disposed of.

All of this helps make tattoo art safer and more precise. But is it still painful?

“Yes,” Sutherland said, “there’s no denying that it hurts, but with improved equipment, improved techniques, and better aftercare, we can do the job more efficiently and your tattoos will look better and last longer.”

Besides better safety, the improvements in tattoo equipment have also expanded the artist’s palette—the colors, detail and style capabilities. Sutherland’s specialized portfolio ranges from traditional Japanese art to highly detailed portraits.

“We can do just about anything,” he said.

Sutherland counsels that those interested in having a tattoo should do their homework to find an experienced tattoo artist who understands the equipment as well as the client to be worked on.

“The person’s skin is important,” he said. “The tattoo artist has to adapt to that.”

With a small needle piercing the skin 2,000 times per minute, it takes a knowledgeable, experienced operator to give a customer a quality tattoo.

“Ask about the procedures, look at the person’s art, ask about the disposal of needles and the sterility of the autoclave [instrument sterilizer],” he advised.

By state law, no one under the age of 18 is allowed to be tattooed. “We card for ID,” he said.

Sutherland admits that he had his doubts about moving to Moorpark.

“No one had moved out here because it seemed like a very conservative environment, but it turns out we had a lot of support,” he said.

For Sutherland, the biggest challenge was locating the right place to do business.

“First, it’s finding someone who is willing to rent to you, then finding a place that suits your needs,” he said.

But he firmly believes he’s discovered the perfect location in the Moorpark Plaza.

“It’s zoned for this type of business, and we have the space we need," he said.

Sutherland said that for him and many others in the business, tattooing is about art and beauty.

“This industry is our passion,” he said. “It’s about the art. Folks are trusting us to create artwork on them and we are a part of this intimate creative process.”

Clear Vision Tattoos is located at 530 Los Angeles Ave., Suite 212, on the second floor just above Lalo’s Restaurant. The store can be reached by calling 805-523-9465. It is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.