Joe Aziz

Joe has been actively and intently journeying for over twenty years. He followed the higher education route for a long time. He received his BA in Psychology from Eckerd College with a minor in Philosophy. He has an MA in Liberal Arts from St. John’s College, Santa Fe, and another MA in Philosophy from the University of Dallas. He is currently ABD for his PhD in Philosophy from the University of Dallas—and he hopes that our work at Full Circle might contribute to the project of his dissertation, perhaps, in some capacity. His area of specialization in Philosophy has been the ‘Philosophy of Consciousness’ or the ‘Philosophy of Mind’. He has a longstanding, thoroughgoing interest in the relationship between consciousness and the natural world, the mind-body relationship.

In recent years, he has been researching the field of Aesthetics or the Philosophy of Perception (the Greek aesthos: ‘perception’) for his final paper. Perception has been an entryway into the Philosophy of Mind for many thinkers over the last century; and Joe has been immersed in that sort of Philosophical and Psychological research. This has led him down other pathways into the Philosophy of Art—and, especially, into the study of Painting. Much of his dissertation, up to now, has involved linking the methods and theories of the Impressionist-era painters—particularly regarding their artistic vision of the natural world—with contemporary Philosophical and Psychological studies into perception.

Joe found his way into the world of Philosophy while studying under a prominent contemporary philosopher in the field of Environmental Philosophy, Dr. Bruce Foltz. He has a long history with Environmental Philosophy, Environmental Ethics, the study of Nature and the Human Body, etc. In fact, this is where Chas and Joe first met—in a Philosophy classroom of Dr. Foltz.

Joe has, throughout his years of higher education, balanced the cerebral demands of school with the hands-on work of landscaping and gardening. He has nearly twenty years of landscaping experience altogether. He has been actively working along the Santa Fe River and in the landscapes of the high-desert for the last several years. His journey, and his many inquiries, have led him there.

Chas MacNeill

Chas grew up in the Canyon Road area in the northern part of Santa Fe. His parents frequented the local independent shops, galleries, and art performances—and this culture became a significant part of his upbringing. He grew up immersed in the collections of Native American and southwest-style art; the antiques from local consignment shops; the Santa Fe culture that has emerged from the desert landscape. He frequently walked from his house, along the Santa Fe River, to the still-active ‘Video Library’ near St. Francis Cathedral—and it was by renting rare movies from the East that Chas first developed his interest in Eastern culture—Chinese culture, in particular.

Chas notes that it was the independent nature of the local Santa Fe shops—often attended by their owners—that inspired him to set out on his own, on a path of entrepreneurship. He received his BA in East Asian Studies from Eckerd College, where he also learned Mandarin at his first opportunity. His primary interest was historical Chinese culture—especially local myths and legends, folk religion, art and architecture—and its lasting influence on local Asian communities of the present day.

Chas has lived in China, back and forth, for nearly seventeen years. He graduated from the foreign exchange program at Xiamen University during that time. For over twelve years he and his wife (a gem from Xiamen) have singularly owned and operated ‘Go Chinese!’, a Chinese language educational consulting business. Their business focuses almost exclusively on teaching students with learning differences (LD) in the Mandarin language.

‘Go Chinese!’ has served over 400 students—the majority of whom were LD students. Their students have a 100% pass-rate on the Chinese National Exam (the HSK). The company also guides tailored trips for students to explore China—this is where Chas’ original interest in Asian folk history touches down again. They have been guiding tours and conducting business in China for over ten years. 

Recently Chas and his wife decided to make Santa Fe their place of permanent residence. He hopes that through our work we can bring a renewed interest in Santa Fe’s distinctive culture, not only amid the local community, but also amid the broader national and international community. He is dedicated to advocating for the soul of Santa Fe, and, especially, for its local independent businesses—which have been central in guiding him to where he is today.

Our Story

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