I am a graphic designer/photographer, and this is one of my fetishes... I wish the bar indicating I have the selection filtered via a search term plus the clearing would be easier/faster with a button. See the mockup.

Is there currently a way to save a search and display it permanently in the left column?

Or you could allow for a setting that removes searches from the sidebar after a while. Or at least allow the user to show all searches under the pins instead of above them. I don't need every search I do to be available all the time. Now I go close a bunch of them when the clutter gets on my nerve. I feel this could be improved.