[nandemo]

Olá. Brazilian here.

You don't need a degree in order to paint. Just enroll in a private art school (not college) or "ateliê". If you live in a capital I'm sure you'll find plenty.

As you know, very few people can make a living by painting. Why not make a career in programming and paint as a hobby? You could even teach part time at a private college and still have plenty of time to learn how to paint.