I signed up on that Photo site so I could vote for your pics Gummy Bear. I'm going to have to do some exploring a little later to figure out how to do that.
Man, I'm sorry to hear about the work situation. That's a bummer.
You know, I know my story doesn't have any bearing on your life and what you'd like to do regarding your art. But I wouldn't worry too much about those kids with the four year degrees in graphic arts.
I never finished college and went to work for one company and just busted .... and moved up real fast until all the people with degrees were working for me. It didn't take long and I was over all of Mexico, Central and South America and lived in Venezuela.
Then I was "stolen" by another company at a tremendously higher salary and worked even harder and was put over all of Europe, the Middle East, Asia, North and South Africa, Russia and China. We lived in The Hague in Holland during that time and this time every single person who had a degree was working for me.
My point is, I never let those folks with degrees instill any fear in me because I knew what I could do and the things I couldn't do I hired people with degrees to do it.
Don't let anybody or anything stand in your way when you want to do something. Just get out there and prove how good and how valuable you are.
Your art is excellent. Don't let that talent go to waste.
TT