Andrei Vigovsky, 45, is preparing to take up arms to fight for his country.
The reserve officer has been in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv since the war in the country began, spending each night taking shelter in a subway station underground.
His sister, Olena Vigovska, who immigrated to Australia 26 years ago, has watched helplessly from afar as the has war unfolded.
"It's a feeling like, 'What are you going to do?'" she told 7.30.
"It's unbelievable. I'm still pinching myself every morning."
In the second week of the war, Ms Vigovska and three other Ukrainian Australian artists began putting together an auction to raise money for refugees in their homeland.
"We jumped on that project with pleasure," she said.
"I feel much better now. I can use my skills to raise money and show the world how art can be so important and helpful in wartime."
Her painting of three bold sunflowers is one of four artworks being sold next month, with the proceeds going to Habitat for Humanity.
"It will be a lot of work to rebuild Ukraine," she said.
"In Kharkiv … the number of apartment buildings which [have been] completely ruined is 2,000.
"It's just awful to see.
Art a reflection of Ukraine's resilience
The project's organiser, Tetiana Koldunenko, told 7.30 the stress of the war had taken a huge toll on her and her family.
"My auntie Raisa was living on the fourth floor of her apartment block," she said.
"She couldn't go to the bomb shelter because of her knee problem and asthma.
"There was no water, no heating, the windows were broken and it was -12 [degrees Celsius] outside, so she was probably thinking, 'Will I freeze to death today or tomorrow?'"
Over 12 days, and with the help of her local MP, Ms Koldunenko's 85-year-old aunt made the difficult journey from Kharkiv to Sydney.
"When I see all these people who want to leave, I really feel that they do need to leave … we need to save their lives in any possible way," Ms Koldunenko said.
She said focusing her energy on creating art for the auction revived her and gave her some hope for the future.
Ms Koldunenko said she wanted her painting of two butterflies in the colours of the Ukrainian flag to represent the transformation Ukraine was undergoing.
"The butterfly is a symbol of change from the caterpillar — you change to something beautiful," she said.
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