Randy Hofman is from Ocean City, Maryland and he uses the Christian fish symbol with IXOYE inside the symbol.
Randy’s email is randyhofman@hotmail.com
His website is www.randyhofman.com
See more about Randy at: http://randyhofman.com/bio.htm
The explanation of the IXOYE is as follows:
During the reign of Emperor Nero in Rome a persecution had broken out against the Christians living in that city. It caused them to flee to the catacombs to meet in secret and to use code words for things of a Christian nature. You may have seen a fish with an “ixoye” inside of it on the back of someone’s car. This was a secret symbol Christian’s used to identify each other then. The letters “I”, “X”, “O”, “Y”, and “E” are actually an abbreviation in Greek letters standing for Jesus, Christ, Son of God, Savior.
Randy wrote a letter to Gary Miller of Michigan and Gary forwarded the letter to me for publication:
HI GARY I SAW THAT YOU WERE LOOKING FOR INFO ON RANDY HOFMAN WHO SIGNS THE FISH WITH THE IXOYE CHRISTIAN SYMBOL AND LETTERS ABOVE THE NAME. THAT’S ME.
MOSTLY I MAKE PAINTINGS AND SAND SCULPTURES OF THE BIBLE ON THE BEACH IN OCEAN CITY MARYLAND. EASY TO GOOGLE THAT LIVE 5 MILES INLAND AT OCEAN PINES.
THE FISH I MADE FROM THE MID 80S TO 1998. THOUSANDS OF THEM. HAD SOME HELP FROM LOCALS I TAUGHT TO CARVE AND PAINT. I CALLED THE COMPANY ” EASTERN SHORE AMERICANA INC.”
THE EASTERN SHORE OF MARYLAND DIVIDED BY THE CHESAPEAKE BAY. BEING A LOCAL SIGN MAKER WE STARTED WITH DUCKS TO CHASE SOME EASY DOLLARS IN THE DECORATIVE GIFT MARKET. YOU COULD SELL ANYTHING WITH A MALLARD OR GOOSE ON IT. BUT THEN DOING A SHOW IN CHARLESTON THE SOUTH EAST WILDFOWL SHOW IN LATE 80S SAW A FEW VERY ROUGH FISH DECOYS AND THOUGHT FISH WOULD BE FUN AND UNIQUE.
WE DID THE WARD WILD FOWL SHOW EVERY YEAR IN OCEAN CITY AND GREW THE FISH CARVING THERE AND WHOLESALE GIFT SHOWS NY PHILA CHICAGO ATLANTA AND OTHERS. FOUND OUT THAT IF I ADDED THE FISH FROM NEW REGIONS I COULD OPEN ACCOUNTS THERE TOO. SO I ADDED TROPICAL AND TROUTS TO THE MID ATLANTIC AND POND FISH STUFF ID BEEN MAKING.
FINALLY SOLD THE OPERATION AND GOT BACK TO OIL PAINTING.FUN TO TRACK THEM. MY DAY WAS FROM MICHIGAN AND I HAVE HIS DADS DUCK DECOYS. BUT NOT TO SELL. GOD BLESS YOU. IF YOU NEED ANY INFO MORE OK RANDY
Photos courtesy of Laura Ritter eBay ID: laurajr0