LA Artist Tomer Peretz and American Friends of NATAL Release “EMERGE” Limited Edition Series
Written by Jason Phillips
The ability of art to process and transform profound suffering into a shared experience of hope is at the core of a new and crucial collaboration. American Friends of NATAL (AFN), which supports Israelis coping with war and terror-related trauma, has partnered with the highly regarded Israeli-American artist Tomer Peretz to launch the EMERGE: From Trauma to Transformation collection.
This limited-edition art series consists of eight personally signed tribute cards, each designed to visually represent the challenging psychological journey from deep pain to genuine resilience. The project offers collectors a powerful and meaningful piece of art and ensures that the proceeds directly support NATAL’s vital mental health mission.
A Veteran Artist’s Mission of Healing
Tomer Peretz brings an unmatched depth of experience to this endeavor. Known in the international art world for his emotionally resonant work, he currently serves as the inaugural Artist-in-Residence at the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles. This prestigious position underscores his commitment to exploring human vulnerability and strength.October 7th created a profound urgency in Tomer's work. His decision to volunteer with ZAKA following the events, an experience he has described as transformative, reinforced the need to link his artistic practice directly to psychological support. This spurred the decision to fuse his own personal method of art therapy with NATAL's specialized, evidence-based approach to trauma healing. For Peretz, EMERGE is less a conventional art project and more a necessary act of translating raw, visceral grief into a structured path toward recovery.
Charting the Path to Resilience Through Art
The limited-edition collection consists of eight individual 5x7 tribute cards. Each card in the series is a deliberate step in charting the complexities of emotional recovery. They are physical manifestations of the "Emerge: From Trauma to Transformation" philosophy that guided the artist’s hand.Tomer’s creative process for this series involved a powerful combination: he layered trauma-inspired artwork, which visually expresses the initial emotional impact and turmoil, with his own original compositions that focus on light, restoration, and ultimate hope.
The pieces are designed to be reflective, acknowledging the reality of suffering while continuously guiding the eye toward the possibility of strength. By acquiring one of these meaningful, signed collectibles, patrons are not only investing in the work of an acclaimed artist but are actively engaging with a visual narrative of healing that has tangible, real-world consequences.
Supporting a Psychological Lifeline
The collaboration ensures that the impact of the art extends far beyond the gallery wall. American Friends of NATAL (AFN) is dedicated to supporting NATAL’s critical operations on the ground in Israel. NATAL runs essential, multidisciplinary services, including a national trauma hotline, specialized clinical treatment, and community resilience programs that act as a psychological lifeline for thousands affected by war and terror.Operating from the U.S., AFN fosters vital partnerships and unites supporters dedicated to safeguarding mental health and long-term well-being. By purchasing the EMERGE series, collectors are providing direct financial support to an organization that turns the artist’s vision of transformation into a clinical reality for those most in need. This partnership powerfully demonstrates the influence that focused creative philanthropy can have in transforming collective grief into collective resilience.
