We have such an inspiring skyline here, of course artists are going to be moved to remake their own versions of it in various mediums. The pieces that stand out the most to me, though, are the ones that use materials you'd never expect. Liz Hickok's San Francisco in Jell-O series is stunning no matter how many times I revisit her colorful cubes online. (You can experience a very surreal earthquake any time, for example, via Liz's Telegraph Hill Earthquake video from 2005).

Another amazing San Francisco model comes from artist Scott Weaver, who made an incredible city-as-labyrinth out of 100,000 toothpicks. This video shows Scott walking viewers through his interconnected landscape, "Rolling Through the Bay," and he points out delicate landmarks (Cliff House, Lombard St., Chinatown, Palace of Fine Arts, Alcatraz Island, Ferry Building) by dropping little ping pong balls through the chutes linking his buildings. 

Scott explains in this clip that it took him 34 years to create this wooden masterpiece — which includes nods to places surrounding SF as well as city markers. The sculpture is on display at the Exploratrium's Tinkering Studio through the end of June. Incredible what tiny sticks and Elmer's Glue can create (and so sweet that the tiny heart inside the Palace of Fine Arts is made from toothpicks thrown at Scott's wedding).