And following along Grossmann and Brough houses' theme of pairs - two mirror imaged houses and the two friends (Isaac Beckett and Samuel Owen) who originally owned them - it just feels right that two fibre artists take up residency in 2024.

Long-time friends Rebecca Muscat and Giselle Penn have been awarded Brough House's third annual artist residency.

Ms Penn, who is a technical officer at the University of Newcastle, focuses on felt sculptures, stitching and incorporating found objects.

"I like things that evoke memories, so I work with found objects that have a strong connection to my memories," she said.

"Small scale sculptures that incorporate found objects and a lot of stitch because I find that a really meditative process where the ideas start to flow."

Ms Muscat, from Singleton, specialises in Saori weaving, and said she's always been a maker.

"I weave but I teach people weaving as well because I want to keep those old crafts alive and that's what the fibre makers space is all about, making sure those skills are carried on," she said.

"I've always made things, I've always been a maker and worked in a lot of different creative areas.

"I went back to uni as a mature aged student to do my fine arts degree, that's how I met Giselle, and I fell in love with weaving."

The two artists' residency is called Parallel Threads, and they intend to explore the parallels between their own lived experience and that of people from the past, drawing on the houses and the Grossmann collection.

"Giselle was the technical officer and I was a student, and we just really clicked, our birthdays are very close as well, so I think there's a lot of parallels with that as well," Ms Muscat said.

"Just our influences and similar upbringings as far as learning through women in our families and making clothes for our dolls, and things that evoke memory, I can really relate to that when Giselle talks about that."

The artist in residence program began in 2022 with Ellen Howell awarded the residency, and continued in 2023 with Vicki Cornish.

Ms Howell is now the artist in residence program coordinator and said the expressions of interest for this year's residency were of a high calibre.

"Their expression of interest really piqued our interest and they ticked all the boxes," Ms Howell said.

"Their theme is Parallel Threads, which is a parallel to the original makers of Grossmann House."

The residency is on until Friday, May 31, and the community is encouraged to attend open studios.

Open studios are on from 10am to 3pm on Friday, March 1; Saturday, March 2; Sunday, March 10; Friday, March 15; Saturday, March 16; Friday, March 22; Saturday, March 23; Wednesday, March 27; Wednesday, April 3; Friday, April 5 (10am to 12pm); Friday, April 12; Sunday, April 14; Thursday, April 18; Friday, April 19; Thursday, April 25; Friday, April 26; Wednesday, May 1; Friday, May 3; Friday, May 10; Sunday, May 12; Friday, May 17; Saturday, May 18; Friday, May 24; Saturday, May 25; Friday, May 31.