The bulk of the creative industries student's work has been pencil portraits for more than the past decade, but she followed a more digital avenue to produce her winning entry.

In her final year at university, majoring in photography and graphic design, Justine Brentnall hatched the idea of an Aboriginal theme which resulted in her winning $500 and gaining some recognition for her artistic talents.

"I needed to encapsulate the essence of Wagga so I took on a Wiradjuri approach with the river and the landscape," Mrs Brentnall said.

"I put in the lines to represent the circular motion and incorporate the flow of the Murrumbidgee River.

"It wasn't just about creating a retail-themed design - there's more than that to what makes a community.

"I think the shop local scheme is a fantastic innovation for Wagga so I was very excited to have my design chosen to be a part of it.

"The chamber gets to use my image for five years so it's a good bit of exposure for me as well."

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"Justine's design really emphasises what this program is about," Ms Hardwick said.

"The design reflects the circular nature of putting back into the community, the flow of our Murrumbidgee River and the unique colours of Wagga's landscape."

Gift cards can also be pre-ordered from the website.

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