A toothpick replica of the Eiffel Tower is impressive enough – but one San Francisco artist takes it much further than that, using shards of a single toothpick to build amazingly tiny, detailed miniatures. Steven J. Backman has created an entire series of these miniatures, each made with just one toothpick and some glue.

Backman has been creating toothpick sculptures since he was a child, but was inspired to take his hobby up a notch after building a San Francisco cable car out of toothpicks for a project while obtaining his Bachelor of Arts degree in Industrial Arts.

In addition to these tiny one-toothpick miniatures, Backman has built a thirteen-foot-long replica of the Golden Gate Bridge, which is on permanent display at the Ripley’s Believe it or Not museum in San Francisco.  He also uses toothpicks to create curvilinear sculptures, landscapes and portraits.

“I love using my hands to create one-of-a-kind toothpick sculptures that have never been seen by anyone.  Individually gluing each toothpick together, one by one, and painstakingly forming a unique creation is my specialty.  Never before have I been so relaxed and at peace with myself while spending hundreds of hours sitting at a table.  Whether the piece of art is created over several weeks, months or years, it is an extension of my passion.  My life revolves around my artistic expression and warms the hearts of people who take the chance to experience my unusualy art form.”