Rock artist's amazing balancing act
Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Balancing act: These giant rock sculptures were created by Bill Dan without any trickery, he insists
You probably wouldn't want to challenge Bill Dan to a game of Jenga if your life depended on it, as he claims to be a master at balancing things.
The performance artist insists his skill is genuine but some people believe his work could be fake.
Dan started using rocks around San Francisco's shoreline in 1994 and since then has been wowing the crowds
Films of his work on YouTube have clocked up plenty of hits.
But, if you look at some of the gravity-defying objects, it's not difficult to see why some doubters wonder if he is using glue or delving into computer imagery.
'I had so many negative e-mails from sceptics saying it is computerised art that I got tired of explaining it over and over,' says Dan.

Artist Dan shows his skills
The artist, who is in his mid-50s, claims he can also balance shoes, cans and even glass objects. He has become so popular, private galleries and event organisers have requested his sculptures.
Explaining how he does it, Dan said: 'I don't picture what the sculpture looks like beforehand, it just forms as I work. It is not difficult to stack two or three rocks upwards.
'Don't worry if you start with large contact points, you can get smaller and smaller as you build your skills.'
Dan said he enjoyed the art because it was 'uniquely beautiful'.
'Based on curiosity alone I could create a piece of beautiful art, unlike any other,' he added.
Andrew Burton, one of Britain's most respected sculptors, said: 'I would just say that this is possible – after all, he would be found out pretty quickly if it were not