(This may seem long, but please read) Gaming isn't my passion, but creating new and inspiring worlds, creating characters close to the heart, creating memory's that will last a life time; that's what i love to do, that's what being an artist means to me. A simple idea could be way bigger than first impressions. For example, Halo: Combat Evolved branched into an entire Halo universe that continues to impress a new generation of tech-savvy individuals. However, lets bring it even further back in time to Super Mario and Pac-man. In the beginning, these games weren't graphically the best based on today's standards, but back then because of a simple idea put into motion, these games made up good portions of many people's childhood memories. Remember, making a game is more than painting a pretty picture; it's giving a board person something to do, a group of friends something to playfully fight about after a long day at school, to provide another way for completely different strangers to converse about a topic they both know. Being an artist, whether it be a concept artist, graphic artist, etc. is to create memories and another world someone in real life will be whisked away into. We need to make every brush stroke and pixel worth it. In order to be successful in anything in life, you must want it to do it. My advice to you is to just start; start drawing and jot down all your ideas. When the time comes to look for studios and company's, look for the ones that fit your style of art. Starting low is a good way to gain experience and it shows your willing to learn despite your background; just don't stop pushing for a higher position. Like in most jobs, the people you work with will become your second family so don't be afraid to ask questions or voice your opinions because one day it might be a decision that changes the standard for gaming. Ultimately, just don't be afraid to take chances and do what you love. If you do go down the road of an artist, just remember it's not all about great art work, it's the idea behind the whole thing that will speak for the game; we make it come to life. A terrible game with great graphics is useless, but a imaginative game that makes the player think and want more is a game that will stand the test of time. Sorry, just really passionate about this stuff, good luck to you :)

I'm currently in a similar position, only I'm applying for an NC Level 5 course on video games development (I'm Scottish, we have a different way of progression), but its definitely gonna be a while until I become involved in anything, or work for bungie (my dream job :D) but hey, we have to make a game and portfolio of the assets, and I might get into the industry quicker than I think :D