LONDON.- John Hoyland, one of Britain’s leading abstract painters, has died at the age of 76. His work was known for its use of simple shapes and engaging colours, often on a large scale. In his later career he experimented with texture, layering paint thickly onto canvases. Hoyland’s early work was influenced by ‘New American Painting’, a 1959 exhibition at the Tate. Following his first solo show in 1964 he traveled to America, where he met leading American artists including Mark Rothko and Barnett Newman. Returning to Britain, he established himself as a major artist with his 1967 exhibition, ‘Paintings 1960–67’. John Hoyland, who died on July 31 aged 76, was one of England’s finest abstract painters.