For the second time in a month a Maud Lewis painting has been sold for five times a pre-auction estimate.

“Black Cats” sold for almost $37,000 at the Consignor Canadian Fine Art spring auction last night in Toronto.  Two other Lewis paintings were also up for auction, but sold for lower prices than expected.

Earlier this month a Lewis painting, discovered at a  thrift store, sold for $45,000 in an online auction; almost three times its estimated price.

Lewis,lived in poverty for most of her life and sold her paintings from her home near Digby, Nova Scotia for as little as $2 and $3.

The artist has recently been the subject of a biopic starring Oscar-nominated actors Ethan Hawke and Sally Hawkins.

Lewis died in 1970.