Since you're using white in the bg, have you considered turning it all into a winter scenario, in the spirit of Hirosehige's winter themed wood carwings? (Because it'd be in my opinion be a logical and an awesome thing to do.)

http://rpmedia.ask.com/ts?u=/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/42/Hiroshige_nuit_de_neige_%C3%A0_Kambara.JPG/120px-Hiroshige_nuit_de_neige_%C3%A0_Kambara.JPG
http://www.hiroshige.org.uk/hiroshige/views_edo/8_views_sumida_edo/images/evening_snow_mimeguri.jpg
http://www.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/10936062/2/istockphoto_10936062-japanese-woodblock-snow-print-by-hiroshige.jpg
http://redtreetimes.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/hiroshige.jpg
http://www.galaide.org/old_weblog/image/hiroshige.jpg
http://www.japancollection.com/images/upload/hiroshige_edo.jpg

Don't forget to work on the bg as well. Backgrounds that have that "oh crap, I guess need to draw a background as well.." -feel to them annoy me big time. That doesn't mean it needs to be sharp and in focus, full of tiny detail, but just.. try to avoid it looking sloppy compared to the foreground.

I also think I've got some contrast issues as well.

The dark bg feels more contrasty (even though it may not be), so it looks a bit like the lighter tile areas are seen through a hole cut through the dark area.

Looks like a Boris Vallejo?

Ken Kelly.

I agree. I got my current full time job through a recommendation of a guy I knew on a comic art board. When I was a freelance (non-pixel art) illustrator for a couple of years most of my job offers came via friends I'd studied with or people I knew on the comic forums. It was like 60% good contacts, 40% skill. Building up a reputation for never missing a deadline also helps.