I had the impression that wax is a medium that doesn't require varnish. It could be that is only the case with wax mixed with resin or mastic varnish. The work I saw from the Irish artist was definately matte, with every stroke brilliantly executed with precision. The paintings were very realistic landscapes.
I should add that pure beeswax is available from the catalogues, just in case no one has seen it. It might be interesting and fun to try it sometime. I can imagine small ceramic bowls of color in some kind of pan with 1/2 an inch of hot water on the bottem keeping the colors at a workable temperature.
But this thread was meant to be about Genesis paints...
Anyway happy painting!