A friend of mine and I worked through the VB4 tutorials book back in 95. He then went through a Delphi book and picked up a little C++. He just got a Distinction for his Open Gl subject at uni for his 3D engine, which he has written. It can import Textured objects and phong shading with ya normals and all that jazz (I'm the artist of the team). I have been a design student for 2 years and during that time I ran a student copy of MAX ($299 Australian with character Studio). The current environment on the web for 3D artists is great. Well written tute's are everywhere and easy to pick up.
I was talking to James Tutton of Inforgames (GP500) and he said (we are hiring) the three things you need to get an artists job with us are BEING A VERY GOOD DRAWER, a little knowledge of programming (basic knowledge) and you have to love games (Gee let me think?). Programs need a 3 year degree.
All this said you do sound a wee bit naive, not that the hammering you've coped here didn't sort you out :-)
PS, Inforgames Australia are actually hiring. :-)
